Do you know any really old fogies?

Gardening, definitely. I'm a gardener, so I know a ton of 'old fogie' gardeners

Also, cadaver dog training. I'm not kidding. It's a really productive way to spend the time, too, obviously!

What would you like to do? What sort of thing interested you back when you were a ten-year-old?

The Backward OX said:

Rabbit droppings, girls, Reg Livermore, circuses, the milkman’s horse…

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Ok - well, it's too late to go all BettyBlokkBuster, I suppose - but we could work with the rabbit droppings and the milkman's horse.



No, but really - think back. Did you have a camera? Did you like meccano? I really think life is a bit of a journey back to where we started. Think of the sort of boy you were and try to remember what he wanted to be when he grew up. Now is your chance to do it!! (As long as it's legal, of course - and maybe not so much with the circus...)

Having you considered . . .

Listening to audio books (it offers another dimension to "reading")

Walking

Adopting an old or handicapped dog or cat

Sitting on a park bench and feeding the squirrels

Fishing (you don't have to catch anything; just sit there and philosophize about things)

Find one other old fart and sit around complaining about the world today

Visiting a cemetery and make fun of all the people who went before you

Buying a rocking chair (see comment above about fishing)

Annoying telemarketers by telling them you're interested in what they're selling but pretend you can't hear very well and keep asking, "HUH?"

Standing in the middle of the grocery store aisle and looking confused until some hot chick offers to help you find your way around the store

Buying a pony

Do you have any children you could call or visit and annoy?

The Backward OX said:

Genealogy is for women.

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Yeah, like, er, Alex Haley.

What, men don't have ancestors where you're from?

Anyway, what the hell? You ask for ideas... people give you ideas... you knock them down.

I'm guessing you might like skeet shooting.

poetinahat said:

You ask for ideas... people give you ideas... you knock them down.

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He could be a member of the local school board!

You like to read and write, and your profile says you are 'dependable'. And you don't want to hang around a bunch of old people.
Have you checked with the local schools? They're usually looking for volunteers to give kids extra tutoring, or just someone to listen while they practice reading.
And, I'll bet those programs would like to have more men, to stop the boys from thinking of reading and writing as 'girlie stuff'.
My dad spent his retired years going around buying oddments and reselling them, either at flea markets or through dealers. He ended up as a 'picker' for used bookstores, more for the knowledge they'd pass on than for the money. Somehow it doesn't sound like your cup of tea.
For a while he did some work for local teaching hospitals (not really paid, but given an 'honorarium' every now and then).
They were looking for real people for the medical students to deal with, letting the students learn how to take histories, and do blood pressure testing, etc. Nothing invasive, and he enjoyed both giving back to the medical field that had done so much for him, and telling stories about the students. (The idea is that the students get used to a range of human bodies, without making sick people put up with being prodded.)

PERK.....an old foggy post. W00t!

For a few years I played City of Heroes, an online real life game. I had a ball. Met lots of other players online. I was the 'old foggy' and it made no difference. I played like one of them there youngsters.

This last year I got started on beading. I always have the need to create so this was a great out let. Now I have boxes of jewelry making stuff all over my room.

I remember when my dad became an old foggy and was past the age of making things he kind of slept a lot. It was a real shame.

There has to be something you enjoy. If I was rich I guess I would be at one of the casinos hitting the button for the big bucks. Love to play the slots. But....I am poor.

Do you have a 'bucket list'? Things you always wanted to do and never got to. Don't be afraid to write down even the smallest things. Not all things require vast amounts of money to do or a great body.

I belong to the free site of POGO and play the games on there all the time when time lags. You can play by yourself or on teams. Your choice.

If you don't have family close by that might make for lonesome times. If family is close, then crash in on them and drive them nuts for awhile.

If there are other old foggy types around you might start some type of card/game playing.

I just thank all that there is that computers are around now. I don't know what folks did say....forty years ago when there was none. At least now you can have some kind of out let through it.

Social or not, you should join every old person's organization you can. Some of them bring you free meals and do things for you.

"Yeah, sonny, I need the battery in the smoke detector changed. And could you build me a new sunroom while you're at it. I'll be taking a nap, so try to keep the noise down."

What about music? Games - chess? What about a bookclub? Or maybe a photography club?

Or if you're more solitary, what about writing up a bunch of recollections of the area from people who have lived there for ages? Your library would probably love that - so might the schools, for kids projects. Hell, there might even be a grant in it!

Take an online class.

And yes, play chess. You can play in person or on line, or with the computer. You could read about it, write about it, or just play it.

So, so....you are an old foggy with a dark side?

Hum.

Will get back to you on this.

The Backward OX said:

I was thinking of something perhaps less labour-intensive, more creative, and with the potential for making money. Like for example planning robberies while in bed and out-sourcing them to younger stupider people.

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You could start a social networking website for older folks. Call it FogieBook or MySpaceGetOutDammit or something.

I love this thread so much.

Sincerely

Another Old Fogey

Cooking. You get to eat whatever you want now that you're old, you can experiment with new things, changing recipes, learning to cook by eyeballing the measurements, taste-testing at key points in the process, whatever.

Then, if you do wind up with a bunch of people who you're friendly with in person, you can invite them over for a meal.

It's creative, and you might even make money from it if you send in your own custom-made recipes to magazines and cooking shows on the tellybox.

If you are in Perth and looking for a small project - feel free to give me a call.

Mac

Literateparakeet said:

And yes, play chess. You can play in person or on line, or with the computer. You could read about it, write about it, or just play it.

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For example, on the website that has my favourite url ever: www.redhotpawn.com

I wish I could help,

but I just don't know anyone over 35.