Less and Less

Everything must come in smaller doses now. Now that I am in the latter half of my Forties. Its all diminished. Maybe it doesn't have to be this way all the time, with everything, but for now that's how it is. I can't swim a mile anymore because I don't train for it. When I last tried, my shoulder went south and I had to stop for a long time. A year. I spent a whole year not swimming. It was bad. Brutal I might say. I felt as vigorous as a dried cowpie. Probably unnecessary as well. A savvy PT would've had me in the pool in half that time. In fact one did, but I didn't get smart and get to that person until about 5 months had passed. By that time, I had a bad back, water fear that came out of nowhere, and a sore shoulder that just didn't get better. Thank God for savvy PTs.

Can't drink in mass quantity anymore, and that's a good thing (mostly). Still, it's quite evident and times when I could put it away are not so long ago that I don't remember them well. Then, it could be 5 pints on an evening. I would be tipping slightly, but not too badly, and the hangover usually ended about Noon the following day. Now, two or three pints is a heavy night, and the hangover finally goes away about Noon...two days later. If whisky is involved, forget it. The week is shot. So, now I drink a glass around 5, and as long as its just one, I'm OK. Anything later than that and I get no REM sleep and the following day is spent in a haze of exhaustion, even though I never woke up during the night.

Too much food, and the feeling of bloat will end the evening. I eat ever more sparingly. If I gain five pounds, my blood pressure jumps, my back starts to hurt, and I look ridiculous in my clothes. I am slow of step and thought, and I get irritable in no time over things that are simply not worth it.

So, what are the thing that are not diminshed with age?