It's better than being asked if you would like the senior discount - trust me

Boyish and girlish demeanor is in the eyes of the beholder. The older my eyes get, the more boyish/girlish 30 appears. And don't even try to understand at 36 how young 20 will look in 15 more years!

riborn:

I've got some inkling. When I was rounding 20, there was a rash of celeb-males (like Jerry Seinfeld) dating 16-year-olds. It already seemed a bit pathetic to me then. Nowadays, it seems a bit more like pathology... imagine wanting 16-year-olds to be attracted to you.

John Loughlin-LOL-you got that right buddy!!
Once,just after I was married,I stopped in a bar with my wife who was 23 at the time.The drinking age in NY was 18.I ordered a beer and a cke.I let ehr have a sip of beer and the bartender said -"finish up and get her out of here"-she then showed him her BC and he apologozed and bought us a round.She actually had to carry her BC around to prove she was an adult.
She always has looked years younger than her age and so do her sisters.

Years ago, I found it annoying. Today, I look at it as flirtation.

I've seen you in person a couple times, no gray. Once the gray comes in, the carding goes away.

I'm used to being carded at public places like ballparks and concerts, but at age 50 I was pretty surprised when the server really looked carefully at it to make sure it was legit!

I’ve got a salt and pepper beard plus I’m way over 60 and I still get carded! It is a wonderful feeling when a young woman behind the counter asks you to prove your age to her. I normally respond with; “are you looking for a date?” I notice a lot of my retired friends are dating or have wives that are a lot younger than they are. Senior citizen status and discounts start in this state at age 50 and are extended at age 65.

By the way John Loughlin it is regarded as a show of respect in my new state to offer senior citizens up to 50% discounts on their purchases and the city and county lowered my property tax to $300 a year due to senior citizen status and State does not tax my retirement income. Because I have a $30 yearly unlimited senior citizen bus pass (saving a lot of mileage and gasoline costs $4.009/gal with my car); on a loaded bus the younger set must give up their seat to me (women, pregnant women, senior citizens and small children are not allowed to stand) or the bus driver throws them off the bus.

Depending on which state you are living in and the cultural respect given to senior citizens age does have its privileges! Don’t forget, everyone will grow old at some time in their life and become a senior citizen.

Ken,
What state do you live in?

@Ken
Just great. Another Rhode Islander lured to the dark side by low taxation and a better way of life in general. Pretty soon there won't be anybody left to fight the good fight here in Rhode Island.

Parents needn't worry - my attraction for high school and college-aged girls is vastly outweighed by how little tolerance I have for listening to them.

"my current preference, a Tröegs variety 12-pack"

... is A.R. being compensated (I hope) for this product placement??

Hey I just want to say to all the regular AR contributors I never mention my new state I've been living in for 5 years but Bob asked!!!!

Bob and Max Diesel,

I retired to the State of Hawaii and am now living in Honolulu, HI a state ranked by Kiplinger.com as one of the top 10 in the nation for retirees based on taxes (cheaper than Florida) and retirement offered amenities at about 1/2 cost of staying and living in RI with the same cost home (RI property tax = $2,700/yr. verse HI property tax=$300 with age qualified exemptions). No property tax on cars, trucks, motorcycles and boats plus retirement income and social security exempt from HI state income tax (but that small portion of retirement income that originates from State of RI I am required to pay RI State income tax via a RI-1040NR, General Excise Tax (sales tax) 4.5% on all transactions sales and services except prescription drugs; all other islands 4%, no winter heating bills or clothing required as average daily temperature is 78 degrees year round, gasoline is about 30 cents higher than RI but as a state we are changing over to all electric cars (Federal and State rebate $12,000 off dealer MSRP plus $500 rebate for house charger, 100 miles=$3.94 charge @ current $0.219 electric Kwh rate, HI has a 365 day growing year so daily farmers markets provide organic produce , meats and fish cheaper than frozen chemically foods from mainland and senior citizens age 50 and up get up to 50% off purchases from local businesses and because HI as an individual state instituted healthcare reform over 40 years ago the lowest medical insurance costs in the nation plus the happiest, least stressed and one of the longest living populations in the nation. I can’t stop smiling every day as I go to free public events, shows and concerts by city/state, free beaches with free parking, free bathhouses and showers, free picnic grounds, BBQs and lifeguard protection with ground maintained and trash pickup by city and county watching all the Hawaiian style bikinis.

For Monique; excuse my sexist remark about the bikinis as there is plenty of eye candy and action for the ladies with the surfers, Hawaiian watermen, drivers of $200,000 exotic sports cars and they make sure the night clubs and discos are packed up to 4 AM closing! Legal Happy Hour starts at 3 PM and ends most places at 1 AM in Waikiki Beach!

Ken, There is "no such thing as a free lunch"

So, who is paying for " free public events, shows and concerts by city/state, free beaches with free parking, free bathhouses and showers, free picnic grounds, BBQs and lifeguard protection with ground maintained and trash pickup by city and county"?

Are there large taxes on the Tourista?

Justin, trust me. In about 5 years you will begin to notice cashiers referring to you as "sir".

Warrington Faust,

Actually according to the National Business Travel Association 2008 report combined taxes on lodging, rental cars and meals per day for Hawaii was $21.45 and it was $30.00 per day in Rhode Island making a vacation in Hawaii $8.55 cheaper a day just on the basics.

Even though HI is a much larger state than RI, HI has a 4-county seat of government which is a heck of a lot cheaper to run than RI style of 39 cities and towns government entities. That is why HI county property taxes are so low plus the counties do not run the school system.

In Hi there is only 1-school district run by the state so it is financed by state income tax, general excise tax (GET sales tax) and various state user fees along with other state functions and departments.

The 4-counties are financed via property taxes, meals, lodging, rental car taxes and various user fees.

Yes HI has one of the highest state income taxes in the nation @ 11% for income $200,000 and above (instituted by Gov. Linda Lingle (R)) but that is temporary because of the recession due to expire 2015 with other tax changes (HI has the most millionaires in nation per population that at a moment’s notice can hand you $1 million in cash; one of HI’s billionaires is donating $6 billion to Hawaii charities.) and the ½% surcharge added to 4% GET in 2007 for island of Oahu is temporary (expires 2030) to fund the construction of the $5.5 billion elevated 20 mile long high speed light commuter rail system which broke ground last month (creating up to an estimated 12,000 direct construction and related support jobs). Walt Disney Co. just hired 1,100 people for all positions to fully staff the new themed 800-room resort/hotel/convention center/spa/time-share opening this fall on Oahu.

Yes HI is listed by the tax foundation has having a below average sales tax of 4% but collects the highest sales taxes per capita in the nation however what the tax foundation missed is tourists and visitors in 2010 spent over $12.4 billion in HI adding to the economy. Yes that 4% GET tax is on all transactions of services and products in HI except prescription drugs. Everyone is treated the same thereby significantly reducing paperwork, printing requirements and the staffing needs administering the tax codes. 4 cents on the dollar is not a big deal!

HI state and local government are streamlined and run more efficiently than RI state and local government meaning more can be done for less which turns into more free services (yes I know we paid for it through taxes) but the tourist and visitor love the extras and so do we residents. Tourism and entertainment is the #3 business in HI. HI state-wide has a 6.4% unemployment rate but on Oahu the unemployment rate is 5.2% and normal unemployment rate runs around 2.0-3.5%. High-Tech, biochemistry and green energy are the three dominant industries in HI at the present time with financial management, banking, medical and education following.

Under state law all beaches and shoreline in HI are free and there are no private restricted areas except on military bases. All parks are free except a few state parks and preserves that charge a small entry fee and a nominal $1 to park but in some cases if you show a State of HI resident ID card access is free of charge.

Under HI constitutional law all government entities must operate under a balanced budget and at the end of the 2-year budget fiscal year any excess government funds must be returned to the taxpayers. I’ve already received a check refund for one fiscal budget year.

Warrington Faust,

A thumbnail sketch of what happens in Honolulu and Waikiki Beach:

Basically people living in Hawaii love great food and a good party! Those two things will make friends for life!

As far as all the free events, the City and County of Honolulu due to the recession has limited the number of parades through downtown Honolulu and Waikiki Beach from 60 a year to 40 a year but any parade based on and expressing free speech gets a free pass.

There is no limit on the holiday parades that start day after Thanksgiving and run up to Christmas Day. Sometimes there are 6 parades a day with floats, equestrian units, multiple bands up to 3,000 marchers plus the jolly old man himself! This does not include the massive electric light parade put on by the mayor and city and county and state employees for lighting of the capitol Christmas tree also other electric light parades with police escort and electric light boat parades throughout the harbors with the state harbor masters.

Of course every national holiday, specific Hawaiian holiday, sports holiday, ethnic holiday and for no good reason holiday has to have a parade and a block party with up to 6-live performance stages in the streets, sidewalk beer garden for adults and 1 to 2 DJs spinning records to keep the younger set moving. City even helps sponsor a very large block party in the middle of Waikiki Beach in tribute to the pink Hormel canned meat Spam which almost seven million cans are eaten every year in Hawaii! The NFL Pro Bowl came back to Hawaii because the players were upset it was moved after 30 years. They felt this is a reward for their efforts plus they and families like the way they are treated here from city and state. That week brings in more than $30 million into the local economy.

Every month there are about two festivals and 2-3 parades and at least 1 street block party. There are 3 monthly street parties in the arts district of multinational Chinatown where most of the discos, art galleries, restored historic theater with free shows, night clubs, jazz clubs and cultural ethnic restaurants are located. City supports their activities through the arts and community block programs.

Guinness Brewery has declared the largest St Patrick’s Day pub party in the United States is at Murphy’s Bar and Grill in Chinatown in Honolulu, HI (covers about 6-city blocks every year) with the support of city and county of Honolulu.

At the Waikiki Shell there are free concerts, every Friday at noon the Royal Hawaiian Band (one of the oldest municipal bands in the nation) performs a concert at the bandstand on the only Royal Palace grounds in the United States and during the week they make guest appearances around Honolulu a little like Boston Pops giving free concerts!

Every Tuesday at the cannery movie theater there is a free movies supported by the city and every month there is a free stage show and movie on the Kuhio Beach portion of Waikiki Beach called Sunset at the Beach sponsored by the city plus at the state owned Aloha Stadium a temporary screen is erected on the backside of the bleachers and a free nostalgic drive-in is created for everyone in the parking lot once a month.

Every week on the hula mound at Kuhio Beach hula shows are performed for free as well as on the new hula mound and stage on Lewers Street in the Waikiki Beach walk. Every day at sundown a Hawaiian warrior runs the length of Kalakaua Avenue barefoot dressed in a loin cloth with a lit torch lighting all the touches along the street to light the sidewalks for tourists and visitors (the women seem to like this city show).

There are fireworks over Waikiki Beach every Friday after sundown co-sponsored by the city.

In other parts of Honolulu there are city sponsored beach parties, concerts and parades with fireworks throughout the year. Hawaii is kind of stuck in the 1950s family style mode because weekends the parks and beaches are full of family and friends having picnics and parties. By the way, free parking at beaches and parks are in paved parking lots.

I could go on and on about the laundry list of state, city and county sponsored events that happen here but as I said we all know it’s being funded with taxes but to the tourist, visitors and local population it’s a freebee and adds to quality of life plus there is a wow factor from tourist and visitors which brings them back next year with their friends to stay longer which also helps to brings in conventions! It’s basically called marketing!

Well Justin, as the comment threads prove here every day, it's better to look like a kid than to act like one.

Justin,

My next door neighbor is a professional drywall contractor/sub-contractor and has been working almost every day of the year since I purchased my condo 5 years ago.

Right now there are approximately 75 years of major construction projects on the books at Honolulu City Hall on Oahu alone not including future redevelopment projects and major TV/Movie Sound Stages needing carpenters to build stage sets.

Best thing is the weather and less stress life reverses the aging process so you’ll grow younger and more people will card you here!!

Ralph,

Kiplinger.com has designated the current 10 states that are tax-hells for retirees as:
California.
Indiana.
Iowa.
Nebraska.
New Jersey.
North Dakota.
Oregon.
Rhode Island.
Vermont.
Wisconsin.

Kiplinger.com has designated the current following 10 states as tax-heavens for retirees as:
Alabama.
Alaska.
Colorado.
Delaware.
Georgia.
Hawaii.
Pennsylvania.
Michigan.
South Carolina.
Wyoming.

Based on my real life living expenses Kiplinger is right on target with their advice plus I feel younger every day and am getting carded like Justin to boot!!!!

BobN
Maybe you should rethink your childish remark above by meditating on Jesus' words in Matthew 18:3 "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
OldTimeLefty