Turning 50 This Year

What and Who is turning 50 this year?

Yahtzee

“The Wizard of Oz” on TV

Jif peanut putter

“Heartbreak Hotel”

Pampers

“Dear Abby”

Tom Hanks, Kim Cattrall, Mel Gibson, and Ann Curry

Scotchgard

“As the World Turns”

“I walk the Line”

Certs

First hard disk drive

Play-Doh

“The Price Is Right”

Me

- - - -

Yesterday afternoon carpool was as lively as it’s ever been. Things are being dissected in 7th grade biology. Dissected animals and 7th grade boys — now that’s a successful combination. All were complaining because in one of their friend’s classes they got to cut open a pig and jump rope with the small intestines.

No wonder they were jealous.

40 Responses to “Turning 50 This Year”


  1. 1 Terri

    Kim Cattrall? really?

  2. 2 Brady

    Some of those 50 year olds have aged better than others…

  3. 3 KentF

    Congrats Mike - or something like that. 50 year old Play-doh? Can it stay soft and ply-able that long?

  4. 4 Joyce

    Mike Cope? Really?

  5. 5 Arlene Kasselman

    Couldn’t resist…my brother Derrick, who is one of the ministers at University church in Abilene, he turns 50 in just a few days. Thought I would give that shout out in case any of you know him and could provide all suitable harrassment until I get to Abilene!

  6. 6 Steve

    And we always new you was a young pup at old HGSR!

    Congratulations and welcome to the ranks of the 50’s. Are you tired of getting all of the AARP mailouts yet?

    Peace

  7. 7 Paul W

    And Larry Sharp!!!

  8. 8 Donna

    and my husband David……(I get him and Mel confused sometimes)

  9. 9 eddy

    Less than 8 years old in dog years!

  10. 10 candy

    And me! The week before you! I’m so excited! I’ve waited 50 years for this!!!

    I read the second part to Max and he screwed up his nose and said “eww”. I guess the jumproping part didn’t appeal to him much. I do remember him enjoying the dissecting part though.

  11. 11 Katie Noah

    And my dad! (And, I guess, all of your high school buddies from Neosho High School Class of ‘74.) We’re going to tease him mercilessly…but most of the time he still acts like he’s 12…so it won’t really matter.

  12. 12 Beaner

    So if you graduated in ‘74, then you graduated the year I was BORN!!! (Just doin’ my part! ;) )

  13. 13 Chris Field

    If that Biology teacher had known that close to 3,000 people would read about him/her letting his kids jump rope with a pig’s intestines, something tells me he/she would have thought twice about it.

    As for me, I’m a little jealous myself. (Although I do feel a bit sorry for the poor pig)

  14. 14 Buddy

    Me too. Got my first flyer in the mail from the scooter store. I have recieved several offers from insurance companies to explain medicare to me. Man o Man I’m only fifty.

  15. 15 Mike the Eyeguy

    There is no better way to gauge the zeitgeist of today’s middle school set than to participate in a 7th-grade carpool.

    I chauffeur four 7th grade boy soccer players to and fro. I’m constantly amazed at the emotional and mental abuse they can dish out to each other and yet remain fast friends. Invariably, our trips devolve into a contest to see who can tell the tallest tales, usually regarding the number of consecutive “juggles” they’ve performed the previous week. Incredible numbers are thrown about–250, 600, 1000.

    My 13-year-old, who is a lawyer-in-the-making, usually conducts the cross examinations. By the time he’s finished, the numbers are back down to more reasonable levels (e.g. 50-100) and the car is filled with laughter and mirth.

  16. 16 Patrick Mead

    And me! But much, much later than you, Mike.

  17. 17 Chad Nall

    We used to inflate a fish’s swim bladder and toss them around.

  18. 18 Kelley

    Boys really are gross aren’t they? Jump rope…yuk…..
    Congrads on your 50th year. I turned 40 just two months ago and I’m learning that life “peaking the hill” is pretty grand!

  19. 19 Canada Jim

    I have 7 years left… just doing my part to encourage a bro…

  20. 20 Billc

    And me, in August. Can’t wait!

  21. 21 BW

    Fifty is nifty! At least, that’s what I’ve been telling my wife. She’s a tad older than me and reached this milestone last month. But, I make it a point never to mention this in public, or any other forum. Oops! Guess I blew it, huh?

  22. 22 Michele

    Enjoy it! I’m not there yet, but I do know all of which you speak! ;-)

  23. 23 mommyham

    So, I’m a young’un here, just turned 27, but all my friends are 35+ (mom and teachers always said I was an ‘old soul!’), and on my b’day one of my Hollywood girlfriends kept telling me, “30 is the new 21, 40 is the new 30, and 50 is fabulous!”

    I believe her too…so go on, be FABULOUS!

  24. 24 Joe Hatcher

    You know I have never understood why the science teachers wait until the end of the year when the temperature is warmer to begin the dissection of pigs. I believe the smell caused me to shy away from a career in medicine, which would have made my mother happy.

  25. 25 GKB

    In case you were interested:

    Wikipedia’s entry for 1956.

  26. 26 Mike Riley

    There’s hope for you yet. I’m turning 62 in a couple months and still riding my Harley every chance I get. The key to staying young is to never give in to the urge to mature. Works for me!

  27. 27 KK from KC

    Don’t forget to add BUZZ BALL to the list of 50 year old ‘thangs”!!

  28. 28 Scott Simpson

    I once gave some friends a beaver-claw back-scratcher as a gift… but that’s kind of random… sorry! I got all taken up with the “other uses for various animal body-parts” issue.

    I’m not 50… just a mild 42. I was born the year the Beatles hit the US. My guess is that Mike had a “Beatles” moptop… any pictures Mike?

  29. 29 Jina Hinson

    So, Mike, did you steal this list from your wife’s copy of Good Housekeeping last month? I was just referencing this list of items at my local Curves during workout this morning, but I couldn’t remember some of them. And, lo and behold, the list shows up on your blog! :) Just wondering….

    BTW, Happy Birthday! I helped my neighbors TP my husband’s truck yesterday for his 42nd birthday. I hadn’t done anything mean for his 40th so I figured he was due….

  30. 30 Kathy

    50 huh! Great decade you’re entering there, my friend!

    CONGRATULATIONS!! :O)

    One of these days I’ll share what happened on my 50th. Great memory!

    Have a beautifully joyous day and celebration!!

  31. 31 Leland

    Now were they doing double dutch with the pig intestine or just ordinary rope skippin?

  32. 32 G'ampa C

    Me too! Me too!!

  33. 33 Mark Frost

    Mike,

    Not to make you feel ancient or anything, but…

    You’re older than the modem, the laser, and the intregrated circuit (all invented in 1958).
    You predate the microchip by three years.
    The now-obsolete audio cassette is six years younger than you.
    The oldest permanent-press garment is still eight years younger than you are.
    You have a nine-year head start on Astroturf, soft contacts, and compact disks.
    You were eleven before anyone on earth had a handheld calculator.
    Until you were a teenager, there were no ATMs, LCD displays, or VCRs.
    The venerable Post-It Note is eighteen years younger than you.

    Happy Birthday!

  34. 34 Dan

    Me too!! Mike, you’ll appreciate this. I’ll be running Boston next spring as a 50 year old. Have a great 50th. I think I have you beat by a month. This July is it?

  35. 35 Serena Voss

    I hit 50 in December, but we are celebrating in Colorado with the kids and grandkids the third week in July. In many ways, I feel like I am in better shape than when I was 40.

  36. 36 Frankie Montgomery

    Has it been 10 years since that 40th birthday party? I was only 32 then? And I thought 40 was kind of . . . well. . . on up there. I was wrong, wasn’t I?

  37. 37 Tamie

    In honor of this landmark, I’d like to see you make it to 50 rotations on the pig intenstine jump rope tour.

  38. 38 David

    Are you going to do something crazy when you turn 50 like skydiving, eating 50 tacos, or running 50 miles?

  39. 39 Mark Frost

    Not to make you feel ancient or anything, but…

    You’re older than the modem, the laser, and the intregrated circuit (all invented in 1958).
    You predate the microchip by three years.
    The now-obsolete audio cassette is six years younger than you.
    The oldest permanent-press garment is still eight years younger than you are.
    You have a nine-year head start on Astroturf, soft contacts, and compact disks.
    You were eleven before anyone on earth had a handheld calculator.
    Until you were a teenager, there were no ATMs, LCD displays, or VCRs.
    The venerable Post-It Note is eighteen years younger than you.

    Happy Birthday!

  40. 40 Jennifer Underwood

    Google is the best search engine

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