Cutting Edge at 50...?

Entering the year I turn 50 has me feeling a mixture of emotions, some good, some not so good, and all of it a bit weird - should I still be playing WoW as I turn 50?

So yeah, I turn 50 this year, and it's got me thinking about a lot of things. Entering their sixth decade is a milestone in anyone's life, the point at which they generally are seen as inarguably "mature", "older", "got their shit together" and so forth. And yes, while I do feel like I resemble some of those, entering the last half of my life has me looking at the way I live my life, how I live it, and what I choose to do with the time I have on a daily basis.

For the record, I do NOT feel 50. Far from it. Well, mentally at least. Up in here, taps skull, I feel like I'm still in my early 30's. Physically however I feel more like I'm in my late 70's 😂

But I'm sure that's true for a lot of people that tend to think they're younger than their birth certificate betrays.

Still got it?

Certainly I've lost none of my mental acuity, at least that I've noticed. I'm still as sharp-witted as ever - I've been a member of Mensa (About 170 with an SD of 24 before you ask), have worked with technology most of my life and still have a passion for gaming that remains unabated, albeit a little tempered these days due to available time and the fact that I've seen most games and genres now in one guise or another before.

As for WoW, I wonder what other raiding BM Hunters (to finally get this on topic to WoW!) would think about the guy sitting in the #1 rank on the planet (in normal mode, ok) is likely twice their age?

Physically though, things need to change. I'm 56lbs at least overweight, am "technically" obese with a BMI over 31, and would like to stick around longer than my dad managed, after he died in 2011 at the age of 60 from a staph infection in hospital when he went in for a procedure. Not least for my wife, as I'd like to spend at least 15yrs in retirement before I pop my clogs.

So I've decided to start shifting the weight, and put myself on a diet of sorts. It's a controlled fasting diet (using the Simple app) that sees me only eating during a 9hr window on any given day, and fasting the rest of the time. I also need to start getting regular amounts of proper sleep. I've never been a great sleeper, often sleeping 5hrs or less for most of my adult life.

I'm aiming for the big 5-0 to be at my target weight. That gives me a fair chunk of the year to get the excess shifted. It'll be tough, because I've never lost more than 14lbs before.

Why now?

All this arose, because as I've been staring down the barrel of middle-age, I've begun wondering how long I'll be able even to just play WoW at the level required to achieve Cutting Edge every tier. Certainly I'll be able to see out the remainder of The War Within, but what about Midnight? The Last Titan? Beyond the World Soul Saga's conclusion?

Those are bridges that will need to be crossed when I come to them in a handful of years, but by the time The Last Titan concludes, I'll likely be in my mid-50's by then, a mere decade or less away from actually retiring from work...

So yeah, time to start doing something about my physical shell, to improve my chances of being fit enough for Life itself, never mind WoW. But being fit enough to put up with the demands of Cutting Edge raiding with a bunch of players half my age? Yeah that's something I'd like to still be doing in 5yrs, minimum.

So while I am, and will be, more "mature", "older" and indeed have "gotten my shit together", I'll hopefully still have the passion and ability to still play WoW at the Cutting Edge.

After all, age is only a number... 😉