WrongPlanet.net
WP Members: > 70,000

Aspie Affection

New Today: 2
New Yesterday: 24

After 35, you turn invisible. Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5  Next  
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Wrong Planet Autism Forum Index -> Women's Discussion     
sinsboldly
Free Range Aspie
Phoenix


Joined: Nov 22, 2006
Age: 62
Posts: 15238

PostPosted: Tue May 12, 2009 11:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

being thirty years along from the age you are, tsunami007,
I am starting to get into crone hood up here in the great Pacific Northwest in the Oregon Country, spry gray haired older women that bicycle and testifies for the state legislature on autism topics- we have our admirers, too. I found to look to a different audience, if you will, that transmits their admiration in mental whistles and tasteful cat calls as behooves the older intellectual man. I figure I am the young one again, the young one in the elder park and it might never happen again that I am considered 'not as old as' and I intend to enjoy being that vibrant younger woman walking the dogs down the beaches catching the catcalls in their eyes.. .

so I have found if I surf the wave of the older generation of each decade I encounter, I never run out of admirers. . . just a technique I developedso I can cope.
_________________
“Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be normal.” – Albert Camus
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Postperson
The Daughter of Indifference
Phoenix


Joined: Jul 10, 2004
Age: 56
Posts: 4314
Location: Uz

PostPosted: Tue May 12, 2009 11:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I much prefer being older, except for fitness problems.

I love the anonymity, I never had any when I was young, I'm tall and stand out, I always got stared at ugh, leered at. Now I have more freedom. I never got taken seriously when I was a young woman, people presumed I was an airhead.

Besides, everyone gets more eccentric as they age, including NTs, so you're not the only 'odd' person, plus there's less emphasis on mating/dating.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
wigglyspider
squirrel frustrator
Phoenix


Joined: Apr 24, 2009
Posts: 1279
Location: USA

PostPosted: Wed May 20, 2009 2:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That kind of sucks. D: I'd be friends with you! You sound cute. I have made friends with a lot of my teachers who are your age or older, I think. And I was great friends with my sister's playmate's mom who loved to play video games. >3< I have friends who are younger than me too. (like 18 ) It's nice to have friends of all ages, I think.

I'm 23 by the way. Last year I told a friend that I was 38 and she believed me. That was kind of hilarious and depressing all at once. But this year someone thought I was 17. Age is really weird like that. People have these ideas about how one age is supposed to look and act, but I keep seeing those conceptions getting totally smashed in all sorts of situations.

But anyway, I've heard a lot of people say that older people who act young are refreshing or inspiring, maybe you actually have more of a positive impact on the people around you than you think! >3< At least, that's how I'm going to try and approach the idea of getting older. Maybe if I think of it that way, other people will see it that way too..
Hopefully. XD;
_________________
"Things should be as simple as possible, but no simpler." - Albert Einstein
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
whitetiger
Passionate Advocate
Phoenix


Joined: Feb 04, 2009
Age: 44
Posts: 1702
Location: Oregon

PostPosted: Wed May 20, 2009 9:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Autism gave me an excuse to stop trying to fit in, as I realized it was impossible Smile

I am 40. I still dress young, artsy, fun. People tell me I look 30. I still get "ma'am" and my family says I look more mature.

I have a real issue with being 40, actually. It just doesn't feel right. It feels impossible. I actually feel like I'm in my mid twenties still.
_________________
I am a very strange female.

http://www.youtube.com/user/whitetigerdream

Don't take life so seriously. It isn't permanent!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
EnglishLulu
Phoenix
Phoenix


Joined: Apr 09, 2006
Age: 43
Posts: 781

PostPosted: Wed May 20, 2009 8:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rainstorm5 wrote:
I'd love to look like Catherine Zeta-Jones at 40 or Marie Osmond at 50+
I don't know if I want to look like Dame Judy Dench, but I'd sure like to have her money...
You do know, don't you, that Catherine Zeta-Jones doesn't even look like Catherine Zeta-Jones at 40? Wink
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
bhetti
Phoenix
Phoenix


Joined: May 18, 2009
Posts: 874

PostPosted: Thu May 21, 2009 7:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I dunno about reinvention. I am what I am. what's cool about learning I have AS though is that I think I can finally hone in on some of my real talent and forget about trying to turn myself into something I'm not.

for some reason, when I was 40 and working in tech support, college guys would come onto me. I guess I was in a place where the people around me were above average intelligence and having a weird sense of humor wasn't a liability, so I made some friends.

it's hard to find that kind of environment, but I think there are plenty of people out there who really care more about what you think than how you look. finding them is the trick, but I think they congregate in places like philosophy clubs and other special interest groups.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Zola
Tufted Titmouse
Tufted Titmouse


Joined: May 17, 2009
Age: 50
Posts: 28

PostPosted: Thu May 21, 2009 9:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm 46 now. I have mostly positive feelings, although there are a few things that I don't like.

One thing I dislike is the change in the doctor's attitudes since I hit menopause. I had a serious medical problem and it took three doctors to determine that I had a serious medical problem because the previous doctors were treating me like a menopausal woman with the vapors. It bothered me that they assumed I was off-balance when I wasn't.

I like that the average guy no longer looks at me as a possible sex partner first. I work in a very much male field, I am a computer programmer, and for years I had to deal with them looking at my boobs and ass instead of at my work. Now if a guy is interested, it's because he actually likes me.

I like that my experience has come together enough that I am not wrestling with all the issues I had in my twenties. When I realized I was getting isolated and needed to make more friends, it wasn't an angst-filled process at all because I knew what to do.

Sometimes I look in the mirror and laugh hysterically. The outer image is so different than the inner one! Still, I don't bother to dye my hair or try to "keep myself up" in the sense of looking sexually attractive. I find that I'm at last comfortable in my own skin, such as it is. Any changes I make in my diet or exercise routine are for the most important reason of all--my continued good health.

I dislike losing the feeling that the world was my oyster, but I'm trying to "surrender gracefully the things of youth". I like that I understand this now.

I decided in the end there isn't a damn thing I can do about it anyway, so there's no point in fretting over it. Life is an adventure, and I can't wait to see where it goes next.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
CaroleTucson
Phoenix
Phoenix


Joined: Aug 06, 2009
Age: 48
Posts: 731
Location: Tucson, AZ

PostPosted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 10:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

What a great thread!

I'm 44, and to my astonishment I find that I get hit on by younger men more and more all the time. The youngest was 17, for heaven's sake. I don't know what the hell he was thinking. Do you think younger men have the idea that all women in their 40's are cougars and we can't wait to "teach them the ropes"? I don't know any cougars myself ... I sometimes even wonder if the whole idea of a cougar was simply made up by younger men.

Anyway, I've also experienced the "you're no longer relevant" attitude that some of you have mentioned, and it infuriates me. The worst is when I get it from younger women.

And then there's the attitude from men in my own age group who assume that I must be looking for another husband. That would be amusing if it wasn't so ridiculous.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
sinsboldly
Free Range Aspie
Phoenix


Joined: Nov 22, 2006
Age: 62
Posts: 15238

PostPosted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 10:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

EnglishLulu wrote:
Rainstorm5 wrote:
I'd love to look like Catherine Zeta-Jones at 40 or Marie Osmond at 50+
I don't know if I want to look like Dame Judy Dench, but I'd sure like to have her money...
You do know, don't you, that Catherine Zeta-Jones doesn't even look like Catherine Zeta-Jones at 40? Wink


Amen! Sister
_________________
“Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be normal.” – Albert Camus
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
activebutodd
Phoenix
Phoenix


Joined: May 30, 2009
Posts: 827

PostPosted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 8:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

On one hand I kind of hope this is the case, on the other it annoys me.

Though I'm in my twenties the world is not my oyster, and I'm becoming tired of being looked at first (and often only) as a possible sex partner. I hope that as I become older I won't have to be ultra careful of my behaviour and safety for fear of attracting lots of unwanted attention based on what I look like.

But being invisible because I'm not in a youthful pretty package and assumed to be 'up for grabs' is a bit insulting too. Gah!
_________________

Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
outlier
Phoenix
Phoenix


Joined: Oct 17, 2008
Posts: 1526

PostPosted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 4:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My mother still gets chatted up. She has a friendly demeanour and takes care of her appearance, so that is probably why. I remember in my late teens and early twenties I would be invisible while she got chatted up. We share similar physical attributes apart from the age difference, so I think that personality plays a large role in being visible.

The only people who approach me do so out of physical attraction. It makes me feel invisible in a different way.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
activebutodd
Phoenix
Phoenix


Joined: May 30, 2009
Posts: 827

PostPosted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 9:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Maybe it's the subconsciously perceived likelihood of a woman possibly being a sex partner/able to be flirted with that leads to all the awareness or approaches, and that's why the likelihood is mostly attributed to young girls but not always.

My mum is still beautiful at sixty and very outgoing, but I've often envied that she can confidently be friendly to men without receiving sleaziness and attempts to get with her when she's just being nice. I'm not outgoing at all, or always attractively turned out, but when I'm polite or friendly it seems to be taken as an invitation to become overfamiliar.

Yeah, I kind of know what you mean by invisible in a different way. Sad But it's curious, I've heard this phenomenon mentioned in a book once where women that are more mature, have a little extra weight, or are not wearing makeup don't seem to be paid attention to as much or their presence remembered later.
I know when I've worn heels and mascara I've been served quickly at a shop counter, while I kept getting passed over and had to try to get served when I showed up just plain.

However, I think I'll be more comfortable and happy with myself when I eventually reach 35, however I feel about aging or whatever value others place on spring chickens.
_________________

Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
poopylungstuffing
Lolliwink Slayer
Phoenix


Joined: Mar 09, 2007
Age: 37
Posts: 7618
Location: Snapdragon Ridge

PostPosted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 4:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am about to turn 34..so one more year before I am invisible..I already sorta am invisible..but it has to do more with me being so completely non-reciprocal towards guys I am not already involved with..and since I am in an open relationship with 2 guys...it is sorta as if I don't exactly count..For each of them, there is the potential "other" on the horizon..maybe...
Anyway...
This interesting older female has recently started hanging around my venue...and she seems to have everyone quite fascinated...She must be in her late 30's...pale...heavy-set-ish....eccentric...well-travelled..."cool"....
I am at ease with her presence...and all the guys seem at least somewhat taken with her just because she is interesting and different. She is definitely not invisible...
_________________
http://www.youtube.com/user/MsPuppetrina
http://www.youtube.com/poopylungstuffing
http://www.superhappyfunland.com
"Ifthefoolwouldpersistinhisfolly,hewouldbecomewise"
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
RightGalaxy
Phoenix
Phoenix


Joined: Dec 22, 2008
Posts: 1483

PostPosted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 7:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tequila wrote:
Some people really go for that mature looks thing. You'd be really surprised. Don't entirely lose heart. Wink


Ditto. But anyway, you can overcome that feeling and take care of your health. Exercise and eat a healthy diet. Embrace a faith and develop your mind more. Make some money. I'm 48 and very glad to be OUT of the cattiness of other women and the sexual predation of men. The day I stopped (at age 30) giving men erections just by looking at me made my life a heaven. Now, I do what I want.
Nobody cares if I'm fat, thin, ugly, pretty...I'm free at last from the whole world's damned scrutiny and judgement based on pure superficiality. People can just kiss my gainly, 48 year old, arse.
I'M FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Very Happy I've had 18 years of peace! I'll never be a walking vagina again. Thank goodness!!! Now I'm a real person. Life is finally real and freedom is heaven. I'm looking forward to being a grandmom some day. I'll be the best darned granny in the world. I just wish I could have had that attitude when I was young...I missed the most energetic part of my life because of "illusion". I spent entirely too much fuss caring for the shell when there was "NADA" inside. Everybody says the same thing, "If only I knew what I know now and could be young again....I'd conquer the world!" Life is a beautiful thing. You determine your worth...not others. Take control!!!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Wrong Planet Autism Forum Index -> Women's Discussion   
Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5  Next  

 
Read more Articles on Wrong Planet



Wrong Planet is a Registered Trademark.
Copyright 2004-2013, Wrong Planet, LLC and Alex Plank. Alex does public speaking for Autism.

Advertise on Wrong Planet

Alex Hotchalk / Glam 

Alex Plank  Aspie Affection 

Terms of Service - You must read this as a user of Wrong Planet | Privacy Policy

Subscribe: RSS Feed  Wrong Planet News  Wrong Planet Forums




fine art