Groundhog Day hypothetical

[JonathanW]

Which 8-10 year period would you be the most happy getting stuck into?
And no, you can't do things like bet on a bunch of sporting events because you know who won them.
Just talking about your quality of life during that period.

And I realize for YOU, that the comments I have next to each range may not apply to you (e.g. you had kids at 20 instead of 30), still base your answer on the AGE and not the comments.

If you want to be more precise (e.g. 32-37 when first had kids; or 18-21 loved college but hated HS) feel free to add in comments.

 

[funKYcat75]

This time (50) is the best. Kids are old enough to do stuff on their own if they want, some are grown and have their own kids, more free time than ever before, and I'm not broke. Good times.

 

[the nail at the foul line]

I'm different than most but I would say 50 to 60 so far.

I finally grew up.

 

[GeraldV]

High school, college, & law school were easily the best years of my life.

 

[JonathanW]

I'm different than most but I would say 50 to 60 so far.

I finally grew up.

My situation may be unique, but halfway thru (so 50-55) has by far been my suckiest period. No other is even close.

 

[warrior-cat]

19-22 years old, 1976-79 my first 3 years in the military and stationed in Frankfort and Hanau Germany. I ran the streets with no real responsibilities other than my oath of service.

A close second would be 1997-2000. Dating and then marrying my wife. Not to say our time after marrying her in 2000 has been bad, on the contrary, we are doing very well together, but when dating we had a lot more fun.

 

[warrior-cat]

I'm different than most but I would say 50 to 60 so far.

I finally grew up.

Growing up sucks, I have not gotten there yet.

 

[Ron Mehico]

22-29 were incredibly amazing and magical years that are hard for me to say no to, but I don’t think I could wish away my kids, so I guess I’d say now (40-50) but I sure have a shit ton more stress than I ever did.

 

[UKBrassowTipIN]

30s so far...i just entered 40s. 30s were way better than 20s. Have money, more mature but still look as you did in your 20s.

 

[WildcatFan1982]

Being a kid. My life started going downhill in 8th grade and I don’t see it getting any better

 

[CaptainBoogerBuns]

20s. Head full of hair, good looking. Broke as hell

 

[vhcat70]

60+ is too broad. I say 60-70. Fewer worries & health likely still good to do things. Too many health things start going wrong 75+ if not before.

 

[CaptainBoogerBuns]

I thought this thread was going to be a choice between standing in front of a moving truck, getting in a bath tub with a toaster etc

 

[JDHoss]

It's a tossup between 6-13 and 60+

6-13 - Little League baseball. Peanut (that what it was called in Virginia) football. Grandparents were still alive. Dad took us fishing several times a month. Rupp was coaching the Cats. My dad and I would listen in on the radio because only a small handful of games were on TV. Had tons of friends in my age group in the neighborhood and we were always outside, riding bikes, playing football, basketball or softball. I remember our neighbor Mrs Belton, who taught at a school in another town, joining us for an at-bat in a softball game. Turned out she (what we thought was old, but probably in her late 40's) could knock the cover off a softball and was a pretty decent basketball player too. I had a good life as a kid.

60+ - Actually started with retirement at age 56. Had some good "retirement" jobs for a couple of years until we moved to South Florida at 58. We live 2 1/2 miles off the beach and spend a metric shit ton of time there, surf fishing, beach combing, walking reading, and working in a good nap if possible.

Hell, overall, I've had a really good life. If I croaked tonight, I'd have no complaints and consider myself lucky.

 

[BC_Wader]

22-29. I miss that whole 90's scene.

 

[warrior-cat]

20s. Head full of hair, good looking. Broke as hell

LOL...

(in my best Joe Pesci impersonation) oh, you were serious about dat?

 

[CaptainBoogerBuns]

LOL...

(in my best Joe Pesci impersonation) oh, you were serious about dat?

A legend in my mind

 

[chroix]

Older I get, the better it is.

 

[JonathanW]

30's for me. Good job. Wife who I thought at the time cared about me. Had my 2 kids then. Was at/near my physical peak for rec/sports.

I'd probably rank them;
30's
40's (except the last year was one of worst of my life)
6-13 (was ok, for me it was all about playing baseball)
20's (was ok, but took awhile to not feel broke)
14-21 (was ok, but for a shy guy around girls, not the best)
60's (not there yet, but hoping)
50's have absolutely sucked 1/2 way through

 

[MegaBlue05]

I'm only mid 40s, married, no kids, so I don't know what the older end experience is like.

I would take 14-21. For me, that was 1994-2001. Cats were awesome. Society was both kinder and less easily offended. Economy was good. Jobs were plentiful. Had a lot of fun when I wasn't working retail or in class. Ingested some interesting substances. Lucky to be alive for some of the shit I pulled from 17-21.

In a perfect world, I'd take my 21 year-old body and my current brain complete with accumulated life experiences (to tell that stupid SOB which decisions not to make).

My childhood was great because my parents are awesome people.
20s were fun but mostly spent in poverty.
30s sucked at the beginning but got better at the end, although that's the decade when I went from tall lanky guy to tall fat guy.
40s have been great so far

 

[bthaunert]

Probably 22-29 for me. Finished up grad school at Ball State, moved to DC for a job, then moved to Philly for a job and met my wife at the very end of that time. For a guy who was born in Kentucky, raised in Ohio and went to grad school in Indiana, moving to the big city in DC was such a cool experience. Such a great town for young professionals. Then off to Philly for my late 20’s. Running a college basketball arena, being around so much to do as a single guy in his 20’s and meeting some people I still consider my best friends 20 years later.

My son is 9 now (I’m 48) so looking forward to my 50’s where he becomes more independent and my wife and I can start doing a lot of stuff on our own again.

 

[kybloo92]

Selected 14-21 with the emphasis on the later years of that, 18-21.

 

[FearThe Blue]

Within 30 days of me turning 50 I got my current job and U of L got themselves mixed up in a whore scandal. Hard to beat that.