The view from 60
August 30th, 2008 at 07:00am Barry Wood
About a week ago I celebrated my 60th birthday, which makes me a “sexagenarian,” a term that will apply until I turn 70. Then I’ll be a “septuagenarian,” a word sometimes used to describe Republican presidential candidate John McCain.
After that come “octogenarian,” “nonagenarian” and “centenarian.”
If there are similar terms for the decade of the 50s or earlier ones, I haven’t encountered them. ”Sexagenarian” marks the beginning of a new age, so to speak.
There was a time when I thought anything with “sex” in it had to be good, but now I’m not so sure.
Maybe the word should be “hexagenarian,” using the Greek for “six” rather than the Latin. Even though the word “hex,” as in “curse,” comes from a different source, it might seem more appropriate.
Entry Filed under: word origins
6 Comments Add your own
1. Leonardo duh Vinci | August 31st, 2008 at 11:17 am
They say “once you are over the hill, you pick up speed.”
(Not to be confused with the mind-altering substance.)
2. Javan | September 2nd, 2008 at 10:09 am
We Woodies hope you live to hit the century mark!
3. Barry Wood | September 3rd, 2008 at 12:22 am
I’m finding that aging is mind-altering, too.
4. Barry Wood | September 3rd, 2008 at 12:24 am
What a lovely sentiment! I wonder what blogging will be like in 40 years. Maybe everyone’s mind will be on the Internet by then. I hope mine still works.
5. John Biltmore | September 5th, 2008 at 8:11 am
Century mark? Hell, I hope you live to 200, my friend!
Incidentally, how about a post regarding the origin of name of one of Sarah Palin’s children…Trig. You think it has something to do with “trigonometry?” Would you ever consider naming your kid “Calc” for calculus?” or Subt for subtraction? Algor for algorithm?
6. Barry Wood | September 9th, 2008 at 1:40 am
Thanks on the 200. I’ll certainly do what I can, as long as it doesn’t involve exercise or watching what I eat.
As for the name “Trig,” I’ll see what I can find out. My first hunch, given other aspects of Sarah Palin’s biography, is that it’s short for “trigger” — and I don’t mean Roy Rogers’ horse.
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