No one ever believes me when I say I’m 51. I know, that’s true for nearly everyone, whatever their age. But it’s one reason I don’t mind being 51 – the buggy-eyed response, the NO WAY, the “your kids are how old?” I think if people had no reaction at all when I gave my age, I might not like being 51 quite as much.

I started college when I was 36, graduate school when I was 40, and I finished my PhD when I was 45. What this means is that I spent the bulk of my middle years among people who were considerably younger than me. I thought we were the same, and it usually took a reflective surface to remind me that they probably didn’t. Still, I think it’s one situational reason I’m kind of young for my age, whatever the hell that means.

But I wasn’t prepared for this:

My New York age is “28″

This New York age puts you-generally speaking-into the young category. That’s what you were hoping for, right? Run and tell your friends. Then get drunk (as usual). Then sleep it off. Then pop an Adderall. Then come back and consider experimenting with a more mature type of New York life (just once in a while). Have you ever been to the Village Vanguard or the Living Theatre? Eaten at Elaine’s? Taken a date to Michael Feinstein? Before you laugh, check ‘em out and see what old-school NYC experiences you can add to the new.

What’s your New York age? Take the Time Out New York quiz and find out!

And I answered each question absolutely honestly. Which means I said I don’t even remember the last time I was out until 4am. For example. I get my caffeine from coffee (not cocaine). And still, at the end, I’m a 28-year old NYer.

Who knits a whole lot. They didn’t ask me about that one.

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