In some ways getting older at 57 kind of sucks, in some ways not. Although I do feel those aches and pains we all were warned about as we get older, I can still do most everything I could do when younger. Or probably more accurately I can still do the things I want to do.
Many friends, many lifelong from my younger years, they cannot say the same....because they are dead. It's unbelievable when I start counting, and when I do I always miss a few who at a later random time it will pop into my head, "oh yeah, I forgot him, and him", etc. I guess that's part of getting older as well, huh? Then you go to funerals, see old friends, and talk about how we all shouldn't wait until a funeral to get together. Only to get the word that there's another funeral to attend, and someone is missing...if you know what I mean. Oh well, ain't I a bundle of joy this morning, heh. In many ways, at times I have lived life hard, and still do, at times. I feel blessed to still be around.
Speaking of still being around. A friend from back in my 20s commented on my hairline after I got out the shower. My brother very apparently began thinning early in life, and in my 20s I overheard someone comment "you know who's next" in reference to me. The years have passed and even I am surprised, although thinner, I still have hair on the top of my head where it's not necessarily
that noticeable. The "you know who's next" guy is almost completely bald on top. Many guys my age have caught up with me, or even passed me in thinning. I used to be sort of self conscious about it, now at my age it's pretty much par for the course. Although i'm an old bastard I still got hair on me head. So there's that.
As for Rush, the band. With the exception being 2112, which I liked, I never bought any of their albums or followed their career. I heard plenty of it from other friends who were into the band. I was more into the likes of Zeppelin. The band Rush, and those friends and acquaintances who were into Rush seemed ultra serious. "Hey man, this is serious music played by serious musicians." Listening to them butcher Rush songs didn't help, and those types rarely if ever gigged. It wasn't my bag. Later, as we all gained more media access to artists, interviews and such, and through my own purchase of the Rush Live in Rio dvd, it became more apparent that they didn't take themselves as seriously as I once assumed. They actually seemed to have good senses of humor, and Alex Lifeson as absolutely hilarious! They all seemed like pretty down to earth nice guys. I would highly recommend that Rio concert dvd. There's no wonder why bands love to tour South America, the crowd enthusiasm is unbelievable. Wow.
As an aside, a thought occurred to me many moons ago. The ultimate drummer would be John Bonham on kick, Stewart Copeland on hat and cymbals, and Neil Peart on everything else. ymmv