Who is the oldest Mefite? December 7, 2017 8:49 AM Subscribe
Just wondering!
I am 87 years old today.
Hot damn, happy birthday lungtaworld!
As far as record holders, we have never formally kept track but I believe you have at least close competition from Postroad.
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:50 AM on December 7, 2017 [12 favorites]
As far as record holders, we have never formally kept track but I believe you have at least close competition from Postroad.
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:50 AM on December 7, 2017 [12 favorites]
Damn! My mom is 85 and doesn't know what Metafilter is, though she has met Jessamyn.
Happy birthday, good sir. And from reading your profile you've already retired from at least three of my dream jobs.
posted by bondcliff at 8:55 AM on December 7, 2017 [5 favorites]
Happy birthday, good sir. And from reading your profile you've already retired from at least three of my dream jobs.
posted by bondcliff at 8:55 AM on December 7, 2017 [5 favorites]
Happy Birthday!
posted by supermedusa at 9:03 AM on December 7, 2017
posted by supermedusa at 9:03 AM on December 7, 2017
Happy birthday! I'm glad we have a diversity of ages and experience represented on mefi. Please keep us whippersnappers in line (I'm 43).
posted by AFABulous at 9:09 AM on December 7, 2017 [9 favorites]
posted by AFABulous at 9:09 AM on December 7, 2017 [9 favorites]
I was born the night of the Watergate break-in -- but after the last 18 months, I feel like I'm gaining on you fast.
posted by wenestvedt at 9:09 AM on December 7, 2017 [7 favorites]
posted by wenestvedt at 9:09 AM on December 7, 2017 [7 favorites]
Many happy returns of the day!
posted by virago at 9:18 AM on December 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by virago at 9:18 AM on December 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Happy Birthday, Birthday twin! I won't say how old I am, but I'm definitely not the oldest MeFi, and I was *not* alive for "the date that will live in infamy".
posted by damayanti at 9:21 AM on December 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by damayanti at 9:21 AM on December 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Hey, happy birthday! Hope you have a great day!
posted by S'Tella Fabula at 9:21 AM on December 7, 2017
posted by S'Tella Fabula at 9:21 AM on December 7, 2017
Happy birthday I hope it’s a good one!
posted by SpaceWarp13 at 9:28 AM on December 7, 2017
posted by SpaceWarp13 at 9:28 AM on December 7, 2017
Wow. Happy Birthday sir. Working in the tech industry I am frequently the oldest person in the room. Happy to let you have that title in this "room." :) And I'm "only" 50!
posted by COD at 9:33 AM on December 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by COD at 9:33 AM on December 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Wonderful! I'll be on Metafilter until I die so I hope to someday inherit the crown.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 9:44 AM on December 7, 2017 [10 favorites]
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 9:44 AM on December 7, 2017 [10 favorites]
Happy Birthday. All the best. I'm glad you are part of this community. Cheers.
posted by Fizz at 9:47 AM on December 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Fizz at 9:47 AM on December 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Happy birthday!
posted by EndsOfInvention at 9:47 AM on December 7, 2017
posted by EndsOfInvention at 9:47 AM on December 7, 2017
Happy birthday from a fellow Pearl Harbor baby! Although unlike me, you were actually around for it.
posted by TedW at 9:48 AM on December 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by TedW at 9:48 AM on December 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
Happy birthday!
posted by papayaninja at 9:56 AM on December 7, 2017
posted by papayaninja at 9:56 AM on December 7, 2017
Really enjoying a look through your website, lungtaworld. I also love that you listed a woman among your heroes. A woman you are not even related to. That kind of made my day, to be honest.
I hope you have a really great birthday, however you choose to spend it!
posted by the webmistress at 9:59 AM on December 7, 2017 [4 favorites]
I hope you have a really great birthday, however you choose to spend it!
posted by the webmistress at 9:59 AM on December 7, 2017 [4 favorites]
Happy birthday, lungtaworld!
posted by ourobouros at 10:00 AM on December 7, 2017
posted by ourobouros at 10:00 AM on December 7, 2017
H-A-P-P-Y B-I-R-T-H-D-A-Y!
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:13 AM on December 7, 2017
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:13 AM on December 7, 2017
Happy Birthday!!
Seconding that your website is rad, looking forward to reading more about your life and experiences so far.
posted by lazaruslong at 10:29 AM on December 7, 2017
Seconding that your website is rad, looking forward to reading more about your life and experiences so far.
posted by lazaruslong at 10:29 AM on December 7, 2017
Happy birthday!
Seconding that your website is rad
Thirding!
posted by the quidnunc kid at 10:35 AM on December 7, 2017
Seconding that your website is rad
Thirding!
posted by the quidnunc kid at 10:35 AM on December 7, 2017
Happy, happy birthday, sir. You make all our lives brighter and better.
posted by anastasiav at 10:42 AM on December 7, 2017
posted by anastasiav at 10:42 AM on December 7, 2017
A very happy birthday to you!
posted by Elly Vortex at 10:45 AM on December 7, 2017
posted by Elly Vortex at 10:45 AM on December 7, 2017
Happy birthday!
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 10:53 AM on December 7, 2017
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 10:53 AM on December 7, 2017
Happy Birthday, that's fantastic!
Postroad is another contender, whose age I don't recall, but I suspect there are some other stealthy mefites (no, mom, I'm not only talking about you, plus you're not even close to 87!) who aren't too vocal about their age. There have been some questions in AskMetafilter along the lines of "what was this event like, I'm too young to have been there" and when you do the math, some of the answerers with the really great stories and details would have to be on the older side.
posted by Secretariat at 11:15 AM on December 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
Postroad is another contender, whose age I don't recall, but I suspect there are some other stealthy mefites (no, mom, I'm not only talking about you, plus you're not even close to 87!) who aren't too vocal about their age. There have been some questions in AskMetafilter along the lines of "what was this event like, I'm too young to have been there" and when you do the math, some of the answerers with the really great stories and details would have to be on the older side.
posted by Secretariat at 11:15 AM on December 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
Happy Birthday, and best wishes for the year ahead!
posted by MonkeyToes at 11:24 AM on December 7, 2017
posted by MonkeyToes at 11:24 AM on December 7, 2017
Have a wonderful birthday! You've got me beat.
posted by ChuraChura at 11:29 AM on December 7, 2017
posted by ChuraChura at 11:29 AM on December 7, 2017
Happy Birthday, Sir!
That means you turned 11 on Pearl Harbor day, right? I can only imagine stories of being a young teenager through those years.
edit...and now I've found your website others have mentioned. Thank you for sharing these stories. I feel like kind of a yutz for assuming you were American.
posted by DigDoug at 11:36 AM on December 7, 2017
That means you turned 11 on Pearl Harbor day, right? I can only imagine stories of being a young teenager through those years.
edit...and now I've found your website others have mentioned. Thank you for sharing these stories. I feel like kind of a yutz for assuming you were American.
posted by DigDoug at 11:36 AM on December 7, 2017
Happy birthday!
posted by Barack Spinoza at 11:49 AM on December 7, 2017
posted by Barack Spinoza at 11:49 AM on December 7, 2017
Happy birthday! 🎂🍨🎉
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 12:05 PM on December 7, 2017
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 12:05 PM on December 7, 2017
I would just like to point out that my mom is also 87, a couple months older than you, and she's been on here for a looooong time. However, she may not be the oldest MeFi member.... Oh and of course, happy birthday!
Hi, Mom! ♥
posted by Lynsey at 12:13 PM on December 7, 2017 [9 favorites]
Hi, Mom! ♥
posted by Lynsey at 12:13 PM on December 7, 2017 [9 favorites]
There are multi-generation Mefites? That’s amazing! And happy birthday!
posted by not_the_water at 12:29 PM on December 7, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by not_the_water at 12:29 PM on December 7, 2017 [5 favorites]
Happy birthday!
posted by Halloween Jack at 12:35 PM on December 7, 2017
posted by Halloween Jack at 12:35 PM on December 7, 2017
Happy birthday, lungtaworld. And I thought I was one of the old fogeys when I turned 60 recently (there are a bunch of us in that demographic group).
posted by oneswellfoop at 12:38 PM on December 7, 2017
posted by oneswellfoop at 12:38 PM on December 7, 2017
Happy birthday - and thanks for giving me the very-rare-now experience of making me feel young...
posted by Mchelly at 12:43 PM on December 7, 2017
posted by Mchelly at 12:43 PM on December 7, 2017
Happy birthday, neighbor (I'm over in St. Augustine)!
posted by saladin at 12:59 PM on December 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by saladin at 12:59 PM on December 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Happy birthday!!
posted by Neely O'Hara at 1:00 PM on December 7, 2017
posted by Neely O'Hara at 1:00 PM on December 7, 2017
Happy birthday! (A fellow fan of classical music and Arthur Ransome.) Looking forward to seeing you on MetaFilter for many years to come. Bear in mind the conductor (Boulez?) whose contract with the something-or-other Philharmonic expired when he was ninety, and who refused to accept a renewal for anything shorter than 15 years.
posted by huimangm at 1:51 PM on December 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by huimangm at 1:51 PM on December 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Huge birthday hugs to you!
posted by The Wrong Kind of Cheese at 2:21 PM on December 7, 2017
posted by The Wrong Kind of Cheese at 2:21 PM on December 7, 2017
Happy birthday! I am currently enjoying your website.
posted by faineg at 2:23 PM on December 7, 2017
posted by faineg at 2:23 PM on December 7, 2017
Happy Birthday!
Good on you for putting your memories on a site for your grandchildren to learn about you and your life experiences - its a gift they and future generations will have for a lifetime.
posted by NoraCharles at 3:50 PM on December 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Good on you for putting your memories on a site for your grandchildren to learn about you and your life experiences - its a gift they and future generations will have for a lifetime.
posted by NoraCharles at 3:50 PM on December 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Happy birthday to you, and thank you to--well--basically everybody pre-millennial, here, honestly, but especially those of you in the over-60 club. Age diversity is so often missing in online communities and I'm so glad you're here and, where applicable, willing to share your experiences with us.
(Of course, if anybody out there's just lurking--thank you for joining us, too, and I hope we're serving you well!)
posted by Sequence at 3:53 PM on December 7, 2017 [7 favorites]
(Of course, if anybody out there's just lurking--thank you for joining us, too, and I hope we're serving you well!)
posted by Sequence at 3:53 PM on December 7, 2017 [7 favorites]
Happy Birthday!
posted by pointystick at 4:05 PM on December 7, 2017
posted by pointystick at 4:05 PM on December 7, 2017
Happy Birthday!
posted by Cheese Monster at 4:48 PM on December 7, 2017
posted by Cheese Monster at 4:48 PM on December 7, 2017
Happy Birthday!
posted by Duffington at 4:51 PM on December 7, 2017
posted by Duffington at 4:51 PM on December 7, 2017
Happiest of birthdays!
posted by sarcasticah at 6:10 PM on December 7, 2017
posted by sarcasticah at 6:10 PM on December 7, 2017
Happy birthday! I am now checking out your website--how cool!
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 6:16 PM on December 7, 2017
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 6:16 PM on December 7, 2017
How very excellent. Happy Birthday and many happy returns.
posted by adamvasco at 6:30 PM on December 7, 2017
posted by adamvasco at 6:30 PM on December 7, 2017
Happy birthday, lungtaworld! Glad you've spent a little bit of it with Mefi!
posted by ferret branca at 7:03 PM on December 7, 2017
posted by ferret branca at 7:03 PM on December 7, 2017
Happy Birthday sir. That is a lot of candles!
posted by AugustWest at 7:15 PM on December 7, 2017
posted by AugustWest at 7:15 PM on December 7, 2017
Happy Birthday. You've had an amazing life so far, I'd need to step up my game if I'd ever want to do half of what you've done.
posted by octothorpe at 7:49 PM on December 7, 2017
posted by octothorpe at 7:49 PM on December 7, 2017
Happy birthday, sirrah! I'm less than 10 years behind you, so I'm a war baby (my brother is a boomer and a deep sea sailor--he'd love to talk sailing). I'm off to check out your website.
posted by MovableBookLady at 8:02 PM on December 7, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by MovableBookLady at 8:02 PM on December 7, 2017 [4 favorites]
Happy birthday fellow Sagittarius! (Turned 38 on Thanksgiving)
posted by TravellingCari at 9:05 PM on December 7, 2017
posted by TravellingCari at 9:05 PM on December 7, 2017
Happy Birthday from Australia, lungtaworld. I too am enjoying your website!
posted by Thella at 1:29 AM on December 8, 2017
posted by Thella at 1:29 AM on December 8, 2017
Very many thanks for all your responses (I had no idea!).
Peace, Hugs and Blessings to you all!
posted by lungtaworld at 7:46 AM on December 8, 2017 [15 favorites]
Peace, Hugs and Blessings to you all!
posted by lungtaworld at 7:46 AM on December 8, 2017 [15 favorites]
Happy lungtaworld day!
posted by Capt. Renault at 8:49 AM on December 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Capt. Renault at 8:49 AM on December 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
Happy birthday! I hope it was a good one for you. :)
posted by jillithd at 8:55 AM on December 8, 2017
posted by jillithd at 8:55 AM on December 8, 2017
I get to post the 87th comment in this thread celebrating your 87th birthday! Thank you for sharing your celebration with us.
posted by ocherdraco at 12:08 PM on December 8, 2017
posted by ocherdraco at 12:08 PM on December 8, 2017
languagehat is 94, iiric...
posted by y2karl at 12:13 PM on December 8, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by y2karl at 12:13 PM on December 8, 2017 [2 favorites]
Happy birthday to you!
posted by Orange Dinosaur Slide at 12:32 PM on December 8, 2017
posted by Orange Dinosaur Slide at 12:32 PM on December 8, 2017
Happy Birthday!
posted by arcticseal at 2:27 PM on December 8, 2017
posted by arcticseal at 2:27 PM on December 8, 2017
This is terrific! Happiest birthday to you!
posted by mochapickle at 3:58 PM on December 8, 2017
posted by mochapickle at 3:58 PM on December 8, 2017
Happy birthday, Mr. lungtaword.
( "Mr" because you're old enough to be my father - and given that I am officially "old", that's really saying something.)
Now I'm off to see your website.
posted by she's not there at 9:56 PM on December 8, 2017
( "Mr" because you're old enough to be my father - and given that I am officially "old", that's really saying something.)
Now I'm off to see your website.
posted by she's not there at 9:56 PM on December 8, 2017
Happy birthday!
posted by Golden Eternity at 11:18 PM on December 8, 2017
posted by Golden Eternity at 11:18 PM on December 8, 2017
Happy birthday!
posted by Hairy Lobster at 11:27 AM on December 9, 2017
posted by Hairy Lobster at 11:27 AM on December 9, 2017
> languagehat is 94, iiric...
y2karl's memory is failing him (well, that happens once you pass the century mark)—I'm 99. Or, wait, is that that other guy? Maybe I'm only 98. Be right back, I'll check my birth certificate. I think it's in the box with the Edison cylinders...
posted by languagehat at 1:58 PM on December 9, 2017 [4 favorites]
y2karl's memory is failing him (well, that happens once you pass the century mark)—I'm 99. Or, wait, is that that other guy? Maybe I'm only 98. Be right back, I'll check my birth certificate. I think it's in the box with the Edison cylinders...
posted by languagehat at 1:58 PM on December 9, 2017 [4 favorites]
Happy birthday, lungtaworld!
In terms of your question, I'd say there are maybe 5-10 Mefites in their 80s... and twice that number in their 70s. I don't think we have anyone that I know of in their 90s, but it's perfectly possible that there's someone around who hasn't mentioned their age, or only mentioned it years ago and it's crept up.
posted by LobsterMitten (staff) at 2:02 PM on December 9, 2017 [2 favorites]
In terms of your question, I'd say there are maybe 5-10 Mefites in their 80s... and twice that number in their 70s. I don't think we have anyone that I know of in their 90s, but it's perfectly possible that there's someone around who hasn't mentioned their age, or only mentioned it years ago and it's crept up.
posted by LobsterMitten (staff) at 2:02 PM on December 9, 2017 [2 favorites]
thank you to--well--basically everybody pre-millennial, here, honestly, but especially those of you in the over-60 club.
I suspect a plurality of mefi users are Gen-X, tbh. It's been my impression (especially from the various millennial threads on the blue) that most of you were born pre '85. I don't have any data to back up my feelings, though I do vaguely recall that past surveys and site traffic data show the average age and level of education here to be higher than most of the internet.
Age diversity is so often missing in online communities and I'm so glad you're here and, where applicable, willing to share your experiences with us.
Agreed. I keep a (non-exhaustive and ever growing) mental list of the more demographically interesting members on the site, and that includes people with clear memories of being alive in the 1950's and earlier.
posted by Freelance Demiurge at 2:32 PM on December 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
I suspect a plurality of mefi users are Gen-X, tbh. It's been my impression (especially from the various millennial threads on the blue) that most of you were born pre '85. I don't have any data to back up my feelings, though I do vaguely recall that past surveys and site traffic data show the average age and level of education here to be higher than most of the internet.
Age diversity is so often missing in online communities and I'm so glad you're here and, where applicable, willing to share your experiences with us.
Agreed. I keep a (non-exhaustive and ever growing) mental list of the more demographically interesting members on the site, and that includes people with clear memories of being alive in the 1950's and earlier.
posted by Freelance Demiurge at 2:32 PM on December 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
Hey, happy birthday with many more returns. 🙌
posted by SecretAgentSockpuppet at 4:58 PM on December 9, 2017
posted by SecretAgentSockpuppet at 4:58 PM on December 9, 2017
Happy belated! Hope it was fun.
posted by Bella Donna at 7:12 PM on December 9, 2017
posted by Bella Donna at 7:12 PM on December 9, 2017
Since he's been mentioned a couple of times in this thread, Postroad appears to possibly be 88 (?), based on this question in May, 2014 where he says he is almost 85.
posted by the webmistress at 8:16 PM on December 9, 2017
posted by the webmistress at 8:16 PM on December 9, 2017
I was feeling old today, because my granddaughter just turned 12, and her mother is turning 35 in a week. I just turned 54.
Happy Birthday! Please stay with us forever!
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 8:29 PM on December 9, 2017
Happy Birthday! Please stay with us forever!
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 8:29 PM on December 9, 2017
Happy (albeit belated) Birthday! Thank you to the person for the links to the personal sites. You have a very interesting blog and great photos, good Sir! It was great to peruse them.
posted by Dimes at 11:00 PM on December 9, 2017
posted by Dimes at 11:00 PM on December 9, 2017
Happy Belated Birthday, lungtaworld! You're an inspiration.
posted by yoga at 3:03 PM on December 10, 2017
posted by yoga at 3:03 PM on December 10, 2017
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posted by neroli at 8:49 AM on December 7, 2017 [37 favorites]