In another forum, many of the ladies have no problems giving their chronological age.

So I hope I ain't asking anything that digs into a deep, dark secret closet of yours. I am a regular poster on a women-only cycling forum of all ages. It actually helps ...younger women who participate to know some of ages of older/ some who are old enough to be their aunts/mothers. It certainly sets a tone for younger women how to participate in a civilized way. AND it's helpful to ask this question months after the people have participated for awhile if they feel uncomfortable initially. There are have been some positive surprises because age is not necessary indicative of how we "sound" on the Internet.

How old are you?

And the age range of your closest female friends? (not counting your grandchildren nor relatives).

I'm 50. Closest friends are about 45 to 70 yrs. Less closer are: around 31.

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I am 56, and ate lunch today with a 63 year old and a 44 year old. We are all great friends.

Youngest friend will turn 40 this year, oldest friend is around 65. These are close friends.

I'm 51. Friends are 50, 63, 77, 38 etc, etc etc. I can get a long with anyone and learn from them all!

In two week I'll be 60 going on 29.

It's strange; many of the people I know around my age seem to talk more of illnesses than those alot older. So I tend to be drawn to people in their 40's. But I agree with Di, you will find all kinds at all ages. I do tend to seek out people younger then I am.

I'm 54. Closest friend's age are from about 45 to 78. Friendly with the 30's and under group, but not close friends. They make me laugh at the way they think. They are still of the mind set that we are old and don't know anything. LOL. God, love'em! Give them a few more years!

I am 52. My close personal friends from childhood are also 52. We call ourselves the 56'ers. I am the only one who has not tinted my hair and the few grey strands that have the nerve to appear, get plucked! All 12 of them. Because we are of the same age group, upbringing and education, we're quite comfortable with each other and can behave ridiculously like 12 year olds when we're together.

My professional associates are between 22 to 68. We learn from each other and enjoy each other's company. The seniors, which includes me, are pretty much young at heart and slightly on par with the younger set. They come to us for wisdom though. LOL! We've been there, done that and still wear the t-shirt.

I'm comfortable with any age group. I have elderly friends from my Parish who I have come to regard as surrogate parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents.

My grandchildren and children keep me feeling young for the most part.

Yea gads, I am the old lady here I guess. I will be 69 in June and my closest friends besides you ladies here are from 14 to 88. The two boys that stole my tomatoes last year, come by once a month to visit when visiting their grandparents next door. We sit a chat and they usually hang around a couple of hours. Sometimes we go bike riding. They are so cute.

My luncheon dates, and church friends are between 30 something and late 80's, we have a ball laughing ourselves silly. I seem to fit in everywhere, age not even considered. I may be an old fart but I act and think young, always have.
And I'm cute too...

I agree Chatty! You are younger in heart than some 40 year olds that I know.

Yikes. I'll admit to 54. My friends range from 39 to 89 and in between. I'll also tell you I'm in denial. I cannot believe how
fast the years have flown. Don't know about you, but time gets
away from me. First it's New Year's Eve, then Easter, then the 4th of July, then Thanksgiving, then Christmas. The years seem to fly about as quick as it took me to type this. LOL...

Cookie, I can appreciate your comment.

chatty, having intergenerational friends is one of the beauties of being involved in a church. While serving on the Rock Ur Faith Contemporary Worship Committee, I've made some fun new 20 something friends. I admire thier spirits. They're great. Our meetings are fun because they are more relaxed than some of the older folks I've served with in the past. They interrupt, go off on tangients, etc, but it works because it's a creative service. They are also respectful of other's ideas.

The majority of my friends are probably 40 to 65, but I definitely have a few younger than 40 and older than 65.

Jabber I find myself shaking my head up and down in agreement with your post. As we age the time does seem to move faster, a lot faster. Maybe its because we are traveling down the other side of the age mountain, and everyone knows; going down is definitely faster, especially when we aren't in any hurry to get there...LOL!!!.

jabber, you'll admit to 54, but how old are you really?

Just kidding.

I'll never tell. If grandkids can be counted as part of the
friends' list, then I have buddies as young as 17. I'm real
close to my middle granddaughter in S.C. Chatty, you are right!
My brakes have given' out and I'm speedin' faster and faster
down that ole hill.

Dots,
Never ask a lady how old she is. To that you respond, but you're no lady. LOL...

I'm 58 and have never denied my age whatever it is. My friends are 40s-70s, but I get along with almost anyone. I just don't run into too many young'uns.

I don't deny my age; I just have trouble admitting it.

On the inside looking out I am 35...on the outside looking in I'm 58...I, too, shake my head, especially when I look in the mirror...where did that old woman come from? My friends are between 25 to 81...each one a pearl.

Well hang on to your hats, my eldest son is 47 today. OMG!!! And my baby will be 42 on the 26th of this month.

Wow. And chatty you don't "sound" 69 over the faceless Internet. Whatever 69 "sounds" like.

Hope others will respond on the age thing...after all, more and more movie stars and rock stars have their age published all over the Internet and in the paparazzi movie magazines.

My closest friends range in ages of 39-62. I am 55 almost 56 myself. I love them all and they are worth their weight in gold. They are true blessings. I wouldn't trade any of them. My dearest friend and I have known each other for 37 years.

Hey Dee,
I'm about 30 years younger on the inside! LOL...

You've got us! But then again, I'm much older than you. Hey! I just had a thought. YOU are my younger friend!

Anne327,
You may have to invent younger friends, but you have all us boomers for your family!

Younger friends- this will happen more often if you get involved in extra-curricular activities that cut across a broad spectrum of age groups. For you Anne, your job probably isolates you abit from daily camaderie with other workers. Or maybe I don't know something here.

Anne327,
I need family, too. Besides, I like being someone's "friends and
family plan." Thanks.

I'm 60, and my friends (outside of BWS) are mostly younger than I am - in their 20s and 30s. Some of them I met when I went to University and some that I have worked with at one time or another. There are also a couple of younger women I have 'mentored' along the way who still keep in touch.

When I worked, I worked with people my son's age. That was
interesting, to say the least. One of the gals was in my
boy's graduating class.

The point of post 180553 is that I didn't see much of a generation gap. One gal was boy-crazy, got married and divorced within a short timeframe. But everyone else seemed mature
and sensible. Age was never a consideration for connecting with someone. Didn't matter if they were handsome or pretty, rich or poor. I can sense a sweet spirit, and it's a person's spirit, which I do or don't find attractive.

Anne makes a great point about having younger friends. So many of Dad's and my FIL's friends have died. IT's terribly sad. In Dad's case, he has some younger nieces and nephews who check in on him.

This is a great reason to get invovled with multi-generational activities. The elderly offer wisdom and the young have fun.

True. There's much to be gained from all ages. One thing about
imaginary friends, they won't stab you in the back!

Don't think I've experienced or was aware of backstabbing by good friends. Just certain friendships naturally peetered out due to changes in our lives and personal interests.

i 40 and i only embarised to admit it becouese i a year or so below the offical bommer age....waaa my generasion not been named yet!...real frends ages run from 24 or so to...50.

internet frends run from your lot of butifull ladies making up my top range, chatty to blow me away when i think of it to 20 i comportable with on my frends in social sights but i got distrubed to find out i was chatting to a wee 14 yr old boy that i just asumed was older, we did meet playing vampire and warewolves games online...After i know how old he was i did treat him diffrent in terms of what applicasions i was sending him. thats about it. but late teens to 20's my lower comphort limit.

Admittedly celtic, I thought you were older. You sound wise.

Now that post was too depressing. I don't like downtrodden
expressionism. Everybody runs into brick walls now and again. The
Lord is going to work everything out! I chose to believe that!
I have friends of all ages and I like it that way! God made an
awesome world!

Hey Celtic flame, I'm not much older then you, in July I'll be 44 also going on 39 again.

I've been 39 for so long, I actually forgot my actual age!

Hey, Celtic: i am 62 (63 in September); what a shock. I still feel (and act, LOL0 18!!

Alice (Francesca, my evil twin, LOL)

I still feel about age 9; what is that?

Looks like I may be the old lady of this group although you could never tell by my stamina, energy and looks, dare I say that? I will be 69 soon and feel maybe 50. I will admit to
thinking older these days than I use to. For instance I no longer find myself saying, "oh, I can do that next week, next month or next year." I tend to get 'er done in the now, just in case!

You and the cable guy, hunh? "Git 'er done!" I can't seem to
wrap my brain around how old I am. I won't even admit it to myself! But when I go to be with The Lord, that'll be cool!
This ole world has gotten too rough lately!!!

chatty, hopefully you've inherited your mom's good genes!

Here's hopin'!

If you hang out in groups that are much older than you, you'll be revived and feel so young! The only problem with doing that for me is I have to go the nursing homes to do that. Yipes!

So why do you think I am at the Nursing Home a couple times a month now???? That the ticket, right answer!!! It makes ME feel young. JJ you guessed my secret.

Dotsie, lets hope you're right about moms genes and I don't mean her Calvin Kleins.

I think being 60 is great. I haven't felt this good in 15 years. Menopause is behind me, and the fat too. I sit softer.

Edelweiss3,
That's was funny: You sit softer! LOL...

JJ, Dotsie, & Chat,
I hang out at the nursing home a couple times a week. The problem there is that many of the residents are in their 40s;
there are a few in their 90s, though. One lady is like, 98 or
something, and she is the cutest thing you ever saw. I love her!
She's so good natured, too. If you can grow elderly and still be
good natured, you've arrived at an angelic level!

There is a resident where we visit my FIL and she is the dearest woman you'd ever want to meet. She has an assistant with her all the time. She's German so often speaks in German and sometimes speaks in English. She is always attached to someone. It's usually her caregiver. If she's sitting, she's snuggled up against their arm, or has her head in their lap. She reminds me of a child. She clings to them when walking, rubbing their arms and putting her arm around their necks. It's precious. And at night, she has on her pajamas so it looks even cuter.

The other night, her assistant had to help a man who kept falling to his knees so I asked if I could assist Leoni. I did and she snuggled right up to my arm saying, "I like you. You're nice to me." So juvenile, but so touching.

She only has one tooth in her mouth, and she's the cutest thing you'd ever want to meet.

I would love to know what she was like as a younger woman. I'm betting she was just as loving.

No Age Is The New Age. Learn why in this week's edition of the SimplyAgeless411 Weekly Digital Ezine or you can visit us at www.SimplyAgeless411.com Click here for this week's edition http://tinyurl.com/msyjv5

I am 59, and my close friends are all within a few years of my age. The hard part is that most of my friends don't live near me, and I miss them.

I appreciate the eclectic attitude reflected in the replies. People of all ages are valuable. Like gemstones, they each have unique properties and talents.

I enjoy being old enough to value people of all ages and to treasure those who choose to be my friends. How can we teach this to the younger generation who think older people are not worthy of their time? let's face it, we live in a very youth-oriented culture and our nation needs to mature in seeing with a larger perspective.

Dorothea Hover-Kramer, author of "Second Chance at Your Dream"

Part of it is the older we get, we need to make/not be afraid of becoming friends with people much younger than ourselves. And being friends, means not always assuming that we(the older, experienced) have advice/experiences that the young may value or that we judge the young too negatively too often/in a patronizing way.

Being continously physically active/intellectually active in an activity that you love to do and one that you can share with multiple generations is very helpful. Then the younger generations begin to know you more than just the grey hair and wrinkles.

I actually do not think if one is quite healthy and mobile, to live in retirement communities is the best solution for one's mental health, in terms of intergenerational appreciation and continuous learning from other folks. I would prefer to live in neighbourhoods close to many services and community centre (which is where we are are now), live among multiple generational neighbours and when one gets much older, seek out those groups for similar-aged folks for certain social activities...but not for all my social activities.

I know my brain/well-being benefits more from human contact with people from a broad spectrum of ages and backgrounds. THis is why I prefer not to live in homogenous communities: I feel stifled.
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This is my opinion for every art class and cycling event (2 things I enjoy) that I have particpated where the age range is from late 20's to 70+. One witnesses the mutual appreciation of different aged people when they all share a common interest and start to learn from one another, hence appreciate what both the elders and the young offer to one another. It's not a 1 way street.

Dorothea, I think it has to do with getting older and wiser. I can't say that I was interested in elderly people when I was in my 20s. But now that I've lived and learned a bit, I cherish the elderly and their stories. I don't know how we can get the 20 somethings interested. Maybe it comes with time.

Orchid, I also appreciate having friends in most age groups. We have so much to learn and teach one another, even if simply by observation.

Anne,are there any groups of interest to you in the area that you might consider joining with the intention of meeting new people of differing ages?

Obviously your work schedule and household responsibilties as an owner, keeps you busy Anne...

I do have siblings who have their own house, plus single friends who are homeowners and live alone. But their jobs aren't as all-time encompassing as yours.

Not sure how old these young folks that you meet who don't respect the older folk. I think it depends on the young person's pschosocial background. Generally speaking alot of the college and university young folk are at least more polite (it doesn't mean they won't be jaded/sarcastic), but at least less quick to mouth off immediately. For them to have gotten that far, via disciplined study, does require some self-discipline and humbled...by learning a swath of some knowledge outside of their world. Doesn't mean they have always learned from what they've been taught. (We weren't great either at that tender age. )

However I've met some very bright,highly motivated young folk. But then some of the stuff I'm interested in doing, attracts a certain range of self-motivated folks regardless of their age.

It would be nice to join a cooking club/dining out club amongst some women/people in your area...to at least meet a bunch of people every few months.

I'll be 32 in October, but I LOVE visiting with you ALL!

Karen is one of those "younger" gals that I love hanging out with. I've never had anything but total respect from her. Love ya, Missy!

JJ- Your words bring me to tears. What thoughtful things to say. And coming from you, it is such a great honor. I have great respect for you and your work. Love ya, Friend.

Anne- Thank you for your words of encouragement. I do have my own business. I decided that I wanted to stay at home with the child(ren) God blessed my hubby love and me with. We've got one precious daughter and I'm so thankful to be at home with her. She'll start kindergarten next month.

Please forgive me if I'm speaking out of place, but a two-year degree takes discipline to obtain, also. If anything, you should be so proud of yourself for attaining that goal! I have a two-year degree, as well. I am going back to school--doing all my classes online this semester--through a Fed. Pell Grant. It's never too late, but any degree, Associates or otherwise is a great accomplishment. I, for one, am proud of you!!

As far as others asking you to join or participate in various things...My mama always tells me what you don't know, bluff your way through it! Perhaps, they aren't looking at you for the degree you have, but looking at your talent, experience, knowledge, etc. and desire to have you a part of whatever it is because of that.

I know that too many things on your plate can make people feel overwhelmed...myself included. Maybe, if you're wanting to participate, but just not sure where to start, you could just start with the smallest possible project/event/organization. You never know what business contacts, friends, etc. may come of it.

I hope for nothing but the very, very best for you.

IMO people see things differently at different ages. Values change with maturity! That's just the way it is! That's life!