Don't know if we've done this before...

When did you feel the shift from young ideals to grown up standards?

for me I remember it distinctly, I may have even mentioned it before.

I was watching the movie Domestic Disturbance with John Travolta.  In the film Travolta's boat house blows up.  In the past I would have looked at scene and thought what a freakin' cool explosion...but instead I watched that scene and said "Dang! I hope he has insurance!"  That's when I knew I was a real grown up.

Its funny how when we're younger we don't really think about (or care about) the consequences of our actions but as we get older we have the foresight to see what might result from the decisions we make.


So what's was the first moment when you thought "When did I become *gulp* an adult?"

I haven't yet, I will let you know as soon as I do. ;D

I haven't yet, I will let you know as soon as I do. ;D


;D

I'm a grown up?

:D ;D :D ;D

All kidding aside...

I don't really know when exactly, but I think it was whenever I started being abit more concerned about finances...

But I don't really think like an adult in general otherwise.

I went out with my friends about 13 years back and the crowd there was pretty young, the music was awful and there was this girl wearing this really skimpy dress and I said "Damn, that kid better go home and get the rest of that skirt!"  And then my friend said "If I were HER mother I'd NEVER let her out of the house like THAT"!  And then my other friend said "Holy Sh**, it's happening to us!"  ;D

Easy questions, difficult answers. I guess the first time I started to feel "grown up" was when I was 11 or so and was trusted enough to walk home from the bus stop (a whopping 200') and get into the house myself (i.e., "latchkey kid").

As for becoming an adult - not sure really. Seems like I went from "Wow, that girl is hawt! (sophomores in highschool) to "If I had a daughter and she dressed like that, I'd ground her for a month!" in considerably less time than 17 years.

Re: "grown up standards" - grown ups have a lot of really bad ideas. Ever try to explain to a kid why we have wars, racism, murder and so on? I have. Most times you will get this look from them, a look that basically says "You aren't making any sense". And they are right, because a lot of the things adults believe in or do are senseless.  In that respect, I hope I never completely grow up, because the minute I accept such absurdities is when innocence is truly lost for me.

(wow, that was deep!  :D)

Ant

So what's was the first moment when you thought "When did I become *gulp* an adult?"


I pondered this a bit.  On a nearby thread, someone suggested sex as an alternative to dating, and that reminded me of the moment.

I know a guy who didn't heed his the wisdom of the Admiral. He had some casual fun and wound up paying for someone else's kid that for eighteen years.  Nasty story.  Not worth getting into beyond the point that I'd prefer to learn from other people's mistakes, rather than from my own.

Which gets us back on topic.  I became an adult at a company Christmas party, when a cute co-worker walked up to me and said "Let's dance!".

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/SirMike1983/iatpl.jpg

Not so loud, Admiral.  Just because my buddy couldn't hear you and just because the music is cranked up so loud she practically had to scream to be heard doesn't mean I'm deaf.

I knew I was an adult when, after running it through the probability matrix, I generated the following output in less than one second: I looked her square in the eyes and said "OK, but since you wouldn't have asked unless there was a bet going on, I'll take you up on it because it'll maximize the number of people who lose their bet."  Despite her denials that there was no betting involved, we had a good time and I enjoyed the dance while scanning the crowd for (and finding!) people handing over bills, and a couple of days, she did indeed ask me privately how I knew about the betting.

"IT'S A TRAP!" is not only something I wouldn't have said as an instinctive reaction to a proposition, it's something I'd have never conceived of when I was in college.  And yet I heard it, clear as day, in Ackbar's voice, within one second of the words "Let's dance". 

Yeah, auditory hallucinations of Star Wars characters.  It's no secret that I've always been a geek.  But that was the instant I realized I was an adult geek. 

(So I don't write posts about girls anymore.  I have to write posts about women.  No more "boy meets girl, boy loses girl".  More like "Man tries to understand where the hell the TRAP is!".  'Cuz I'm an adult now...  I'm an adult now...)

Don't know if we've done this before...

When did you feel the shift from young ideals to grown up standards?

for me I remember it distinctly, I may have even mentioned it before.

I was watching the movie Domestic Disturbance with John Travolta.  In the film Travolta's boat house blows up.  In the past I would have looked at scene and thought what a freakin' cool explosion...but instead I watched that scene and said "Dang! I hope he has insurance!"  That's when I knew I was a real grown up.

Its funny how when we're younger we don't really think about (or care about) the consequences of our actions but as we get older we have the foresight to see what might result from the decisions we make.


So what's was the first moment when you thought "When did I become *gulp* an adult?"


While I get what you mean (bolded), it's not fair to say that we all think this one way, then we wake up one morning and totally shift to the other side. Okay maybe it has with some people lol, but it shouldn't be a broad assumption for everyone, since not only do we all mature differently, we also are different people from the get-go.


I was never one of those people who thought I was invincible or that actions didn't have consequences, so it always surprised and took me aback when I realized that's sort of the picture many people have of teenagers (they themselves included probably). In fact, when I started to realize other people did, I thought that seemed stupid and illogical.

For instance, I remember watching this Rescue 911 episode in the mid '90s when I was about 13 (even my choiuce of entertainment was always geeky! ;D ) which was about a teen guy who did a DUI after a party. He survived, but with some brain damage and I think they showed him afterwards, talking to other teens "about the dangers of drunk driving". And even then I remembered thinking, Man how stupid are they to have to have someone tell them about that. I'm 13 and it makes sense to me! That's what I mean, and I never once wanted to try to do hard drugs, crazy partying or anything else generally dangerous...I guess because I knew what could happen.

I guess the "adultish", sensible traits in me have pretty much always been there, and so have the goof around, lighthearted more kidlike ones. On the other end of the fence, I don't get bored by the very things that entertained me when I was, say 10 or 12...even younger. Like those See and Say toys, or burning rubber on a shopping cart (okay, luckily I don't do this one nearly as much anymore!), or just generally finding excitement over little things.

In fact, I think most people are this way in having dual sides to their personality. I don't think that's what changes, it's just how we live our immediate life that does. I think I'm starting to feel like I'm "getting older" now (I had two shifts with it before, in 1998 and again around 2003 - I guess every five years is about normal) in terms of wanting to take on more responsibilities and advance in the world. But my core personality and many interests probably will never change.

Hmm, not sure when exactly but about the time when I decided I didn't want to go to a pub unless I could sit down and hold a conversation without shouting and when kitchenware/home furnishing shops suddenly became strangely exciting!  ;D

Certainly when I had my first wage packet in my hand...

...and going to the pub to celebrate!

I was 13 and I was able to stay home by myself-for days at a time.  :o :o :o  If that were to happen today, I'm sure my dad would have been arrested for abandonment.  And the time when I REALLY felt grown-up was the very first time I wrote a check with my very first checking account. I was 18.



Cat

I was 14, I made my first logical political argument about the government overspending.  First time my Dad and I saw eye to eye.  Kind of scary, as I recall.

I think I was forced to grow up sooner than I wanted to, of course it was my own doing. I had a
daughter at 18, married at 19 so I had to become an adult real fast. The first time I felt that way
was the first time I didn't feel well but still had to drag my a$$ out of bed and get to work. Having
to pay bills has a funny way of making you feel grown up.

Even though I was forced to grow up fast I am still a child at heart. My grandkids love to come over because
they know their Pop-Pop will be right on the floor with them playing all sorts of games. Unfortunately, Pop-Pop
doesn't get up quite as fast as he used to.  ;D

Probably when I got my drivers license. Being able to be out cruising around without anyone telling me what to do or where to go, then when I got back home, it was back to reality.  ;D

I'd say probably when I reached my early 20's.

I was a grown up kid and now i'm a kid in adult life.

I was a grown up kid and now i'm a kid in adult life.


Do you act like one sometimes? ;D

Do you act like one sometimes? ;D


Yup  :D

Yup  :D


I'm in the boat with you. ;D

A bit of a weird one really because I have a grown-up self and my childhood self. I suppose my grown up self kicked in around 18 when my mum chucked me out but I've always been the same person I was when I was younger.

Rightly or wrongly, I have come to the understanding that you don't have to change you regardless of what your age or experiences in life.

You can be 34 like me and still play video games. ;D

I never found out what an adult is suppose to be.  My mom is a horrible teacher.

I never found out what an adult is suppose to be.  My mom is a horrible teacher.


Heh heh, tell me about it.


k.

I never found out what an adult is suppose to be.  My mom is a horrible teacher.



Sometimes I think I am more adult than my mother is.



Cat

I started to feel like a grown up when I reached my early 20's.

Probably when we had an "Oops!" moment and I got pregnant. When that test showed positive, all I could think of was doctors visits, food, clothes, and everything else I would need for the little one. I was fortunate with a lot of things, but still....it was the moment that adulthood hit me because I could no longer be selfish and only think of what I wanted to do.

I think it all worked out for the best. :)

Probably when we had an "Oops!" moment and I got pregnant. When that test showed positive, all I could think of was doctors visits, food, clothes, and everything else I would need for the little one. I was fortunate with a lot of things, but still....it was the moment that adulthood hit me because I could no longer be selfish and only think of what I wanted to do.

I think it all worked out for the best. :)


I agree Jess. The whole experience of raising a child..just does something to you. Even though I didn't birth Vaughn, and even though I am not his "biological mother"....my life changed entirely from the moment that I took Vaughn in as my own.  I no longer thought of myself, all of my intentions were for him. It's such an eye opener whenever you experience the many stages of a child's life. You definitely grow along with them. :)

Probably when we had an "Oops!" moment and I got pregnant. When that test showed positive, all I could think of was doctors visits, food, clothes, and everything else I would need for the little one. I was fortunate with a lot of things, but still....it was the moment that adulthood hit me because I could no longer be selfish and only think of what I wanted to do.

I think it all worked out for the best. :)
Same here.

Although, I guess it started a little earlier when I moved out on my own and started to pay for things myself (even though that was only about a year earlier ;)

I haven't yet, I will let you know as soon as I do. ;D


Same here.  The toys just cost more now and the cartoons aren't as great. :D

I guess moving out on my own made me feel more like a grown-up as the only person I had to answer to was myself, had to make decisions on my own, and go through grown-up life experiences (paying for a roof over my head, getting married, getting divorced, paying for travelling etc.).

You're right, the cartoons suck. :D

For real for me it would be when I realized that I needed to work because no one was standing in line to pay my bills for me.  Heck, they still aren't standing in line to pay my bills no matter how many times I run the want ad.

Same here.  The toys just cost more now and the cartoons aren't as great. :D

I guess moving out on my own made me feel more like a grown-up as the only person I had to answer to was myself, had to make decisions on my own, and go through grown-up life experiences (paying for a roof over my head, getting married, getting divorced, paying for travelling etc.).


'Aint you telling the truth! A lot of cartoons are all recycled ideas from old ones dressed up. Give me He-Man, Raccoons and Galaxy High School any day.  8)

k.

You can be 34 like me and still play video games. ;D


As a 30something dude who also still plays video games, let me say this:

You don't stop playing when you get old.
You get old when you stop playing.

As a 30something dude who also still plays video games, let me say this:

You don't stop playing when you get old.
You get old when you stop playing.


Yay! Well said, Foo Bar.  :D


k.

As a 30something dude who also still plays video games, let me say this:

You don't stop playing when you get old.
You get old when you stop playing.
Yesterday, I found myself playing a game on my son's PlayStation2.

Yesterday, I found myself playing a game on my son's PlayStation2.


Aren't they great? I will get to 70 and still play computer games . . . and beat my grandkids at them, lol.

Aren't they great? I will get to 70 and still play computer games . . . and beat my grandkids at them, lol.
Exactly, I was only playing Tetris and I found it relaxing.

As a 30something dude who also still plays video games, let me say this:

You don't stop playing when you get old.
You get old when you stop playing.


That's why it's called arthritis. ;D

That's why it's called arthritis. ;D
...or Repetive Strain Injury?

...or Repetive Strain Injury?


Is there a pill for that? ;D

Is there a pill for that? ;D
...a good massage?

about a year ago. but it didn't take.

about a year ago. but it didn't take.


Peter Pan Syndrome

Maybe you have it too? I know i do :-[

Peter Pan Syndrome

Maybe you have it too? I know i do :-[




It was either Neverland or somewhere where it was too dark for me to read the sign. I still have it and I'm glad I do.

Peter Pan Syndrome

Maybe you have it too? I know i do :-[



No I don't quite have Peter Pan Syndrome,If I did, my Father would be Capt.Hook. ;D

I went out with my friends about 13 years back and the crowd there was pretty young, the music was awful and there was this girl wearing this really skimpy dress and I said "Damn, that kid better go home and get the rest of that skirt!"  And then my friend said "If I were HER mother I'd NEVER let her out of the house like THAT"!  And then my other friend said "Holy Sh**, it's happening to us!"  ;D



;D

I have noticed a lower tolerance for loud music as well... I used to love the club but now I usually scream turn shiznit down (or off) or I cover my ears and start rocking in the corner...."its too loud, its just too loud"    ;D

While I get what you mean (bolded), it's not fair to say that we all think this one way, then we wake up one morning and totally shift to the other side. Okay maybe it has with some people lol, but it shouldn't be a broad assumption for everyone, since not only do we all mature differently, we also are different people from the get-go.


I was never one of those people who thought I was invincible or that actions didn't have consequences, so it always surprised and took me aback when I realized that's sort of the picture many people have of teenagers (they themselves included probably). In fact, when I started to realize other people did, I thought that seemed stupid and illogical.

For instance, I remember watching this Rescue 911 episode in the mid '90s when I was about 13 (even my choiuce of entertainment was always geeky! ;D ) which was about a teen guy who did a DUI after a party. He survived, but with some brain damage and I think they showed him afterwards, talking to other teens "about the dangers of drunk driving". And even then I remembered thinking, Man how stupid are they to have to have someone tell them about that. I'm 13 and it makes sense to me! That's what I mean, and I never once wanted to try to do hard drugs, crazy partying or anything else generally dangerous...I guess because I knew what could happen.

I guess the "adultish", sensible traits in me have pretty much always been there, and so have the goof around, lighthearted more kidlike ones. On the other end of the fence, I don't get bored by the very things that entertained me when I was, say 10 or 12...even younger. Like those See and Say toys, or burning rubber on a shopping cart (okay, luckily I don't do this one nearly as much anymore!), or just generally finding excitement over little things.

In fact, I think most people are this way in having dual sides to their personality. I don't think that's what changes, it's just how we live our immediate life that does. I think I'm starting to feel like I'm "getting older" now (I had two shifts with it before, in 1998 and again around 2003 - I guess every five years is about normal) in terms of wanting to take on more responsibilities and advance in the world. But my core personality and many interests probably will never change.


Sorry Jesse I didn't mean to generalize...usually I hate that.  I think I was melding my personal experience with some actual observations I've made. 

For one. I was teenager when Nancy Regan was telling everyone to don't do drugs... I listened and never took any drug that wasn't prescribed to me.  However, I also remember being a member a SADD when it first started...however, I drove under the influence on more than one occasion. Fortunately I never injured myself or anyone else.

The truth is I knew I was drunk and shouldn't be behind the wheel of a car. As a result I over compensated... I held the wheel tightly, drove slowly pretty much prayed...well not so much prayed as chanted "Oh God! Oh God!" all the way home!  ;D

The thing  is I work at a police department in a college town so I see the young ones getting arrested for stupid stuff...usually for not thinking.  I have had parents call because their child called them to say someone was in their apartment the night before. Because we need to speak to the witness not the parent of the witness I will call the student directly and ask... when the man was in your apartment why didn't you call us then. They say because he left.  When I ask them well what if he goes into another apartment and steals something or hurts someone they always respond with.... I didn't think about that.

Why did you steal the bike - because I wanted it
Why did you call in the bomb threat...because I thought it would be funny.

They (the one's I've dealt with) seem to be in the moment but never really think THROUGH the moment..into what happens next.

A girl was assaulted, not raped but knocked to the ground and fondled outside of her apartment.  She screamed and her roommate came and scared the guy off.  That was at 9 pm.  The police didn't get called until the next afternoon because they didn't think they needed to...needless to say this guy is now out there free to fondle (or rape) another woman because the first 19 year old he attacked didn't bring to the their attention in a timely fashion.

You can be 34 like me and still play video games. ;D


for the record Howard I do still play the video games

and watch teen shows as well as cartoons... a lot of me has remained young. I am still about instant gratification over responsibility I just feel guilt about it now that I didn't before...don't get me wrong. I still put fun first I just hesitate about a minute longer before doing so...  ;D



Same here.  The toys just cost more now and the cartoons aren't as great. :D



;D

Aren't they great? I will get to 70 and still play computer games . . . and beat my grandkids at them, lol.


I have this image that we all be sitting around the old folks home and instead of bingo we'll all be playing Super Mario, tetris and quite possibly Halo  ;D

Maybe if I'm lucky I'll be in the home with MC Hammer... I'd like to see him do his signature move with a walker  ;D



about a year ago. but it didn't take.
 

;D

Sorry Jesse I didn't mean to generalize...usually I hate that.  I think I was melding my personal experience with some actual observations I've made. 

For one. I was teenager when Nancy Regan was telling everyone to don't do drugs... I listened and never took any drug that wasn't prescribed to me.  However, I also remember being a member a SADD when it first started...however, I drove under the influence on more than one occasion. Fortunately I never injured myself or anyone else.

The truth is I knew I was drunk and shouldn't be behind the wheel of a car. As a result I over compensated... I held the wheel tightly, drove slowly pretty much prayed...well not so much prayed as chanted "Oh God! Oh God!" all the way home!  ;D

The thing  is I work at a police department in a college town so I see the young ones getting arrested for stupid stuff...usually for not thinking.  I have had parents call because their child called them to say someone was in their apartment the night before. Because we need to speak to the witness not the parent of the witness I will call the student directly and ask... when the man was in your apartment why didn't you call us then. They say because he left.  When I ask them well what if he goes into another apartment and steals something or hurts someone they always respond with.... I didn't think about that.

Why did you steal the bike - because I wanted it
Why did you call in the bomb threat...because I thought it would be funny.

They (the one's I've dealt with) seem to be in the moment but never really think THROUGH the moment..into what happens next.

A girl was assaulted, not raped but knocked to the ground and fondled outside of her apartment.  She screamed and her roommate came and scared the guy off.  That was at 9 pm.  The police didn't get called until the next afternoon because they didn't think they needed to...needless to say this guy is now out there free to fondle (or rape) another woman because the first 19 year old he attacked didn't bring to the their attention in a timely fashion.





Oh that's true, if you've seen these things firsthand, that's bound to shape some kind of opinion. Plus, I guess I really was something of a geek (still am), so I was never really typical in terms of what most kids or teens did...maybe that's why I'm coming on it from that side.

BTW on a less related note, did I ever tell you I always had some interest in police stuff? I think it partially came from watching shows like Real Stories of the Highway Patrol in the early-mid '90s (or the crime stories from Unsolved Mysteries). That's cool you work for a department - if you don't mind me asking, what do you do exactly?



P.S. On the video games thing, does it help that my dad was actually quite into the NES with me starting around 1987 and up into the early '90s. He was around 50 then too, and I think of those times really fondly because that was one of the few things we really sorta exclusively bonded over (my mom and I usually had other things).

Oh that's true, if you've seen these things firsthand, that's bound to shape some kind of opinion. Plus, I guess I really was something of a geek (still am), so I was never really typical in terms of what most kids or teens did...maybe that's why I'm coming on it from that side.

BTW on a less related note, did I ever tell you I always had some interest in police stuff? I think it partially came from watching shows like Real Stories of the Highway Patrol in the early-mid '90s (or the crime stories from Unsolved Mysteries). That's cool you work for a department - if you don't mind me asking, what do you do exactly?



P.S. On the video games thing, does it help that my dad was actually quite into the NES with me starting around 1987 and up into the early '90s. He was around 50 then too, and I think of those times really fondly because that was one of the few things we really sorta exclusively bonded over (my mom and I usually had other things).



I have no problems hijacking my own thread  ;)

I am a police dispatcher. I answer 911 calls....for some the more unusual ones you can find my things to not call 911 for.


The funny thing is I grew up watching crime dramas, Charlies Angels (not really a crime drama in the traditional sense but I was 11) was the first ...then Cagney & Lacey, Hill Street Blues etc.

I loved all things law enforcement and figured I would grow up to be a cop.

I went to community  college and found I was quite good at it.  4.0 if I'm allowed to brag.  then I realized I didn't really want to be a cop.  I was watching General Hospital one day - in the 80s it was all about spies and cops  ;)  anyway there was a mistake by the director and I caught the reflection of a camera man in a china cabinet.  I swear it was the first time I even thought about people working behind the scenes (this was 1989) anyway suddenly it totally hit me....what Oprah calls an "AH-HA" moment.  It wasn't the cops I was interested in but the cop shows... I wanted to work behind the scenes of a show so badly after that.

I went to a four year school I couldn't get into one with a TV program - my first love- so I studied film instead. In the meantime I needed to make money to support myself...Santa Barbara has one of the highest costs of living in the country....  anyway-  I put my AA degree to work and got a job at a police dept. Eventually  I worked my way up to dispatch. the problem is I still want to do the TV thing but I am so freaking scared of failing and I cannot afford to move to LA because every penny I make goes to rent, food and gas... the truth is...I talked about instant gratification...its a crutch because I could save a little- heck I could've saved my tax return but instead I bought a new toy so I could presumably finish the script I have floating in my head but I am too scared to do it because no one can reject something I haven't written yet...


that's todays installment of confessions by Q

I have no problems hijacking my own thread  ;)

I am a police dispatcher. I answer 911 calls....for some the more unusual ones you can find my things to not call 911 for.


The funny thing is I grew up watching crime dramas, Charlies Angels (not really a crime drama in the traditional sense but I was 11) was the first ...then Cagney & Lacey, Hill Street Blues etc.

I loved all things law enforcement and figured I would grow up to be a cop.

I went to community  college and found I was quite good at it.  4.0 if I'm allowed to brag.  then I realized I didn't really want to be a cop.  I was watching General Hospital one day - in the 80s it was all about spies and cops  ;)  anyway there was a mistake by the director and I caught the reflection of a camera man in a china cabinet.  I swear it was the first time I even thought about people working behind the scenes (this was 1989) anyway suddenly it totally hit me....what Oprah calls an "AH-HA" moment.  It wasn't the cops I was interested in but the cop shows... I wanted to work behind the scenes of a show so badly after that.

I went to a four year school I couldn't get into one with a TV program - my first love- so I studied film instead. In the meantime I needed to make money to support myself...Santa Barbara has one of the highest costs of living in the country....  anyway-  I put my AA degree to work and got a job at a police dept. Eventually  I worked my way up to dispatch. the problem is I still want to do the TV thing but I am so freaking scared of failing and I cannot afford to move to LA because every penny I make goes to rent, food and gas... the truth is...I talked about instant gratification...its a crutch because I could save a little- heck I could've saved my tax return but instead I bought a new toy so I could presumably finish the script I have floating in my head but I am too scared to do it because no one can reject something I haven't written yet...


that's todays installment of confessions by Q




The term 'mad cows disease' comes to mind :D

and watch teen shows as well as cartoons... a lot of me has remained young. I am still about instant gratification over responsibility I just feel guilt about it now that I didn't before...don't get me wrong. I still put fun first I just hesitate about a minute longer before doing so... 



And I used to watch Sesame Street but I don't anymore.

I have this image that we all be sitting around the old folks home and instead of bingo we'll all be playing Super Mario, tetris and quite possibly Halo  ;D

Maybe if I'm lucky I'll be in the home with MC Hammer... I'd like to see him do his signature move with a walker  ;D

 

;D


Now that's living out your winter years in style.  8)

U can't touch this . . . I wonder if MC Hammer will still wear those baggy trousers.

. . . I wonder if MC Hammer will still wear those baggy trousers.
We have discussed this in other threads and we still wonder if he does.

We have discussed this in other threads and we still wonder if he does.


Those pants are a thing of the past,18 years ago.

Now that's living out your winter years in style.  8)

U can't touch this . . . I wonder if MC Hammer will still wear those baggy trousers.



I think he'll need them to cover up the fact that he's wearing Depends  ;D 

Are they called Depends in England?  Depends are nappies for adults.

I think he'll need them to cover up the fact that he's wearing Depends   ;D 

Are they called Depends in England?  Depends are nappies for adults.


Ha ha, hide that colostomy bag.

Ah right, not sure what they call them over here actually - probably adult nappies . Hopefully I won't need to know in the future.  ;D

It's kinda weird for me. On one hand, sometimes I still feel like a big, goofy kid at heart, but on the other hand, I had this epiphany only a few months ago.

I was having a conflict with this co-worker of mine (who, now, if it really came down to it, I would consider a friend) who had been a complete dick to me over a period of several weeks, and it just kept making me madder and madder, to the point where I was about to break. He's about 10 years younger than me and in much better shape, and he had mentioned previously that he'd had several years of martial-arts training.  And at first I was thinking, "Don't underestimate him, he might whoop your ass." Then suddenly I thought to myself, "Isn't it about time you stopped underestimating yourself for once in your life?"

As soon as I thought that, I was no longer intimidated by him and I was ready to do what I had to do. It's funny, but he could sense that in me and even though no words were exchanged between us, his attitude changed and he backed off and started being a lot nicer to me and we've been cool ever since.

I don't want to sound like I'm trying to be macho or anything, but after that day was when I truly began to feel like a man.

I think he'll need them to cover up the fact that he's wearing Depends   ;D 

Are they called Depends in England?  Depends are nappies for adults.

Spot on, I am not sure of the name of the product, but I know what you mean.

I think he'll need them to cover up the fact that he's wearing Depends   ;D 

Are they called Depends in England?  Depends are nappies for adults.



and he's almost 50 years old.