Old age and depression

[Jack Taylor]

If it's of any consolation to anyone here, I personally enjoy listening to the stories that the seafarers of a different generation tell me. It puts things into perspective when I look at the problems of today's industry in comparison!

Going back to JS's original post and the age difference, I'm in my early 20's, but I personally don't see age as being an issue at all. If anything, the only time where I start thinking "he/she is really getting on" is when they start acting in that way, with the "I've given up" sort of attitude to life.

Regarding the MN specifically, when I speak those who went to sea, I personally find it very interesting to listen to what they have to say. Perhaps, if I were in their shoes, I would probably find peace of mind in the fact I have seen and done things that he/she has no idea of, and perhaps never will have an idea of.

Dare I say that part of the consequence of being in my seafaring generation now, VS "yours" (in the politest way possible), is that we are bound by the book and paperwork to the extent that we will never have half of the experiences nor see the world under the red ensign, and that is something that I do wish I had seen. Age is not always a bad thing!

Jack.

[Doc Vernon]

Well as a lot now know I have reached the 75 mark and I will say that I really honestly don't feel any different from some 10Years ago,in fact if anything I feel a lot better having lost a lot of weight and am now quite trim again! Still can do most all things,i work around the House,painting,fixing, Building,Woodwork etc!
Some heavy work involved too,and for a few minor aches the following day (what can I expect lol) nothing as yet has kept me down,the only thing that I do miss and cannot do any longer is play my beloved Golf,as I had been warned about that some Years back!??? Yes question mark as I don't know if it would have done any harm,but stuck with The Specialist advice!
To me as I think had been said,its all in the mind,keep the Brian working,think Young at Heart and stay young at Heart as long as you possibly can.

Its worked for me! And keep Walking !! Park a ways from where you want to go ,do leisure for pleasure Walking.
Cheers


Selfie of

The old Unshaven Git! On the Train LOL
without that beard I look a lot better and possibly younger! LOL

Awaiting Replies Eeeeekk!!

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[Braid Anderson]

The reduction in weight was probably because food was getting lost in the moustache! (I've just trimmed mine)PapaLana.jpg

[Doc Vernon]

Well Braid
At least yours has some shape to it,i cannot get mine to grow like that,seems to wonder off in its own directions LOL
Cheers

One of the little ones of yours to hold Braid,good work you are doing mate!
Not many left like you!
Cheers

[Braid Anderson]

Thanks old fellah. I won't be 75 for another 6 weeks yet!

[Ivan Cloherty]

I don't think any of us thought age was a problem when in our 20's, we were all invincible, most of us still think we are! and I'm a little bit older (not too much) than those two young boys in #32 and #33. Quite possibly we did live and experience the best times at sea when we were not hide bound by rules and regulations and that book of HSE probably written by people who had never set foot on a ship, we did have the best times when there were numerous varieties of ships of all types and steam and motor, or even sail (mostly coastal) if you were so inclined. Today's young seamen are a different breed, albeit they still have to face the wrath of mother nature when she gets upset about something and that was never something for the feinthearted (or is it fainthearted?). However when I look at my maritime journals still greatfully received I wonder how I would have fared with the compexity of some of the cargo systems and bridges like Starship Enterprise and fully enclosed wheelhouses with no bridge wing. I am thankful for the time served on old steamships with engines aft, bridge midships and bridge wings which took up 80% of the bridge deck, with only a magnetic compass, D/F (when it worked) and Echo sounder (again when it worked) and no radar, the bridge quite soundless as you traversed the ocean at a steady 8/9 knots!, until you hit fog and that bloody steam whistle blasting your head off every two minutes. Would I have changed it? not on your life, then your next ship motor ship with everything aft 16 knots, shaking like a wet puppy but having every navigation device known to man at that time, then your next ship back to basics, which was best? hard to say really, enjoyed them all for different reasons. But keep up the good work Jack, keep in touch and regale us with stories when ever you can

[Captain Kong]

VERNON POST #32

what do you mean ............ mind, keep the Brian working, think..........

I have Never stopped.
Cheers
Brian

I am 80 in a few days, don't feel a day older than I did yesterday.
A lady today told me that I didn't look 80, I told that I used to do.
Just been humping several Large concrete flags around the garden and shifted my anchor, A Very Big Sheet anchor that weighs Half a ton 20 yards across the garden.
I use weights for exercise every day and my exercise Bike as well. so keeping fit..
Cheers
Brian

[eric fisher]

What a wonderful subject. You guys have no idea how much it touches me to chuckle over your thoughts on age ( notice you don't mention depression! That's great.

In my 91st. year, I will be off line 'cos I'm off to Virginia U.S. to visit my Son 29th June to 6th July. Then to see my daughter in Deep River Ont by train 'bout a 6hr.trip. Later this year off to see my eldest Son in Vancouver. All these trips I will travel alone but don't expect any trouble 'though I'm blind in one eye. Thing is I feel comfortable arranging everything online and with many years travelling the world in the M.N., reasonable health, etc., it is no big deal.

As you may gather, I have lived alone since my dear wife passed away over 9 yrs ago. And somewhere, I post the reason for my longevity to consumption of malt whisky. smoking cigars and a somewhat younger girlfriend (84).

All in all, dunno who's responsible!. Keep 'em coming 'old fellas'. Cheers, Eric

[Ivan Cloherty]

Good luck on your trip Eric, bet you only go because the flight stewardesses make a fuss of you, gives us all something to aim for. Enjoy your vacation.

as a relative younger 'oldie' I personally cannot see any reason to be depressed about anything, led a long working life 13 to 73, enjoyed most of it, had experiences and adventures and quite a few hiccups along the way, all of which I can look back on and sometimes chuckle and at others wonder how the hell I survived both as a seafarer and a shore based guy, have seen life in 90 countries, some intimately, others just a fleeting glance, but all educational from hands on and not from a computer. We were lucky that life has given us so many memories.

[Red Lead Ted]

As the thread is called, Old age and depression, These were the latest statistics by the Medical Foundation 2014.
The facts and figures around Mental Health are alarming.
•About a quarter of the population will experience some kind of mental health problem in the course of a year, with mixed anxiety and depression the most common mental disorder in Britain
•Women are more likely to have been treated for a mental health problem than men and about ten percent of children have a mental health problem at any one time
•Depression affects 1 in 5 older people
•Suicides rates show that British men are three times as likely to die by suicide than British women and self-harm statistics for the UK show one of the highest rates in Europe: 400 per 100,000 population
•Only 1 in 10 prisoners has no mental disorder.
I wonder what the stats will be after the austerity is imposed on care in this country, They call it the hidden disease so who will give a toss anyway Terry.