Ah, the golden years of aging. You know, that magical time in a man's life when he can proudly say he's hit the big five-oh and is just a few wrinkles and grey hairs away from being the quintessential wise elder—or, as I prefer to call it, “the walking encyclopaedia of life’s mistakes.”

As I find myself hurtling through my late fifties, I can’t help but marvel at the audacity of my younger self who thought age was merely a number, easily dismissed like an annoying mosquito on a summer's evening.

In this phase of life, I've discovered an intriguing truth: memory seems to be the first thing that takes a permanent vacation. “When will you be here,” said the voice on the other end of the mobile last week. “Be where?” was my answer.

You know those days when you forget why you walked into a room, or when you spend a good five minutes looking for your glasses, only to realize they’re perched majestically on your head? Yes, that’s my daily reality. As a result, I’ve taken a brave leap into the realm of “To Do” lists. It’s a life-altering decision, I assure you.

At first the list exclusively involved work related tasks. But now it’s grown, or as I like to say evolved.

Picture this: I’m standing at my kitchen counter, armed with a bright highlighter pen, a roll of Post-it notes, and an insatiable need to feel accomplished. I have transformed mundane tasks—like “buy groceries” or “take out the rubbish”—into thrilling quests worthy of an epic novel. When I cross an item off my list, I experience a rush akin to winning the lottery. My life is now a carefully curated series of boxes waiting to be ticked.

Perhaps I should start a support group for men like me, “To Do List Anonymous.” I can hear the younger generations scoffing as I recount my highlighter escapades. The youth, with their high-tech gadgets and digital calendars, may roll their eyes at my quaint practices. They think they’ve got it all figured out with their sleek AI companions, effortlessly managing their schedules while I’m here wrestling with my paper planner like it’s the last dinosaur on Earth.

But here’s the kicker: I am so glad that the true power of AI will pass me by. While they’re busy consulting their devices for reminders and planning their lives, I’ll be over here, blissfully scribbling notes on my notepad like the digital caveman I’ve chosen to be.

The future of AI, or rather what AI will bring in the future, doesn’t fill me with joy.

Now we might all use it on a daily basis, but how long before it uses us on a daily basis.

We will then all be AI, artificial idiots.

“Success in creating AI would be the biggest event in human history. Unfortunately, it might also be the last, unless we learn how to avoid the risks,” once said Stephen Hawking. So I’ll just stick to my pen and paper thank you very much.

Let’s not kid ourselves; aging is a rollercoaster ride you didn’t sign up for but are too scared to get off. Each year is a new loop-de-loop of surprises. You can wake up one day, look in the mirror, and wonder who that stranger is staring back at you. Is that really me with those laugh lines and sagging skin? I guess it’s proof that I’ve spent plenty of time laughing—mostly at my own expense.

And let’s talk about the “wisdom” that supposedly comes with age.

It turns out that wisdom is just a fancy way of saying you’ve accumulated a vast collection of regrets, failed attempts, and questionable life choices. If I had a euro for every time I offered unsolicited advice only to realize it was rooted in my own mistakes, I could probably buy myself a yacht and sail away to a sun-soaked paradise—oh wait, I already live in one!

Aging is a curious conundrum. Perhaps it’s time I embrace this absurdity with open arms, laughing at my own ridiculousness. After all, life is about finding joy in the little things—even if those little things involve crossing off “make a sandwich” from my to-do list. And while I may not possess the technological savvy of today’s youth, I hold the power of pen and paper—a timeless duo that will forever reign supreme in my own little world.

The pen might be mightier than the sword but is it mightier than AI?

So here I stand, a man in his late fifties, navigating the wonderful chaos of aging one highlighter stroke at a time. Here’s to embracing the absurdities, celebrating the tiny victories, and laughing at the inevitable challenges of this quirky journey called life.

Now, if only I could remember where I left my glasses!

Read more Englishman in Dubrovnik…well, if you really want to

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About the author

Mark Thomas (aka Englez u Dubrovniku) is the editor of The Dubrovnik Times. He was born and educated in the UK and moved to live in Dubrovnik in 1998. He works across a whole range of media, from a daily radio show to TV and in print. Thomas is fluent in Croatian and this column is available in Croatia on the website – Dubrovnik Vjesnik