I am proud to be part of a culture in which attitudes towards sexuality are moving rapidly from fear and outrage to love and apathy. Let's not forget that Glad to be Gay was banned by the BBC in 1978 on completely non-musical grounds. Visit the remaining Great Wine Capitals of the World (Cape Town, Bilbao-Rioja, Lausanne, Verona, San Francisco-Napa Valley, Hawkes Bay – oh no, they keep adding to the list!) There is so much wisdom in books. Why not read it and get inspired by what the people who wrote these books have gone through and found out? Also, read the novels you “read” in high school and be amazed. 45. Pass on your own life lessons Sorting my mom’s and dad’s things (mostly pictures)? It’s been 12 years since they passed, but emotionally it feels like two. I still don’t feel like I’m ready.

Don’t forget to do the same with yourself. Be nice to yourself. Everyday. 6. Learn how to appreciate being alone There is a whole big world’s worth of things available to us, so here’s my highly personal ‘starter’ list of the 60 things to (still) do at 60: I share the sympathies of Woody Allen when he turned sixty, a while ago: “Practically a third of my life is over.” In the best case under the crystal clear sky. 14.Sail continuously for three days and nights on the open ocean Now ideally, if you’re going to start a business, you should start 2-3 years before you plan on retiring. This will give you a chance to become established, build your network and income stream all while maintaining the benefits of your current job.Engaging with the community helps you feel important and needed as the last thing you want is to go into seclusion. 6. Set Achievable Goals

And please don't get me started on the subject of "jazz" again. In the garden of music, jazz is bindweed.

17. Tackle your inner wanderlust

I mean, I know all the words to (I've Got a Gal in) Kalamazoo (1942). And the Nicene creed from the Book of Common Prayer (1662). Yet, oddly, I can't remember the lyrics to any of those profound, politically charged power-pop songs I wrote to shame the world into becoming a better place (1980s). At 50, Dan Hurley, a business exec in California, saw a flyer for the California Coast Classic, a525-mile bike ride benefiting the Arthritis Foundation. “I’d loved biking as a kid,“ he says, “but this was way beyond my current ability as a weekend family bicyclist. Plus, I didn’t have any real connection to arthritis.” Still, something compelled him to sign up and start training, and get into great shape. 7. Cultivate optimism Dianne Forrester: My family arranged for around 30 family and friends to meet together at a well known hotel. We had a private room and they also arranged for a harp player to entertain us during our meal (my husband makes harps). There was also a special meal arranged at an earlier time with workmates who gave me a big bag full of ‘old people’s stuff’ e.g. incontinence pads, Senior’s card applications, containers for multiple pills etc. – hilarious at the time but a different story as I get older! Learn to give it commands and create a connection to such a strong and majestic creature. 55. Ride an elephant And going naturally gray? Wowza! I wonder if I’m brave enough. For the record, Ron thinks I should. He’s all for it. ♥

Compatibility is hugely overrated. I have little in common with most of my friends and with just about the entirety of my wife. Most people would think their life’s meaning and purpose is one thing and remains the same forever. However, that is far from the truth. In fact, the meaning in life changes with every stage of life because we as human beings change so many times in our lives. One of the very best things about being old is you no longer have to pretend to like hateful music eg misogynistic hip-hop.

54. Ride a horse

Helen Fenton: My best friend, who also has the same birthday as me. And I booked ourselves onto an 11 day pacific cruise. We started off with an overnight stay and dinner at the Wentworth Hotel in Sydney where we were treated like royalty. We had a fabulous time and made our sons feel incredibly guilty because as usual they had failed to plan anything. I have nothing against pets in theory. It's just that, in reality, pets are noisy, selfish, practically incontinent, morally depraved and just really stupid. They are walking, flapping analogs of your own paranoid self-loathing. You take your soul-searching labrador for a walk and a chat. I'll just watch a bit of telly. Not only does gardening allow you to exercise and spend time in the sun, but your homegrown produce contains more nutrients than those mass-shipped as well. Take it a step further and create a new recipe with your fresh food. Here’s a list on how to begin: sonima.com/food/growing-your-own-food Chicago Methodist Senior Services: “Four early warning signs of mental illness to watch for in older adults.” Many cynics will quip, “60 things to do before you die.” I say, “No, the first third was but a warm-up. The best is yet to come!”

Aging can be a scary word for some, but it doesn’t have to be. With age comes wisdom, experience, and a whole lot of awesomeness. Turning 60 marks a significant milestone in your life, and it’s worth celebrating. It’s the beginning of a new adventure that brings a different set of rewards. Yes, now I realise I have got to No 46 already, we are all the children of postwar Britain. The BBC is our frail, elderly mother and the NHS is our frail, elderly father. form a band, even if you can’t play or sing (think about Bez from the Happy Mondays and be inspired)Your own goals can change, from wanting to live longer, to lose weight, and be healthy to spending time with family and friends or like-minded people. Everyone has something or the other that they need to do at this age, and each of their goals is equally as important. Therefore, finding meaning in life at 60 years old is something most people do. Is 60 Too Late To Change Your Life?