Someone I know showed off a restoration project he has recently undertaken. As he told me about his plans, he mentioned that someone called the enterprise his “mid-life crisis.”

I had to laugh because he’s a little older than I am. Since I don’t think I have officially had a mid-life crisis, either I’m off on life expectancy or I need to play catch-up on this concept.

This whole idea really only comes to mind because I turn 44 today. I have no problem admitting that in public because I don’t get too worried about my chronological age. After all, my maturity has steadily floated between 13 and 19 for decades.

I really can’t point my finger at something which could take the shape of a mid-life crisis right and, based on my family history, I probably passed the midpoint a few years ago.

A few years back, I did make a few solo trips to Las Vegas, but those don’t really count. Maybe if I had continued the tradition as I intended, I could say they represent my attempt to re-capture lost youth. I hate how money and responsibility have gotten in the way of that pursuit.

Even though I don’t think I have had a mid-life crisis and don’t see one on the horizon, that does not mean I wouldn’t love the distraction. Even though I love my wife, child, extended family and have many fulfilling personal and professional interests, I could get into something pretty cool.

Some people take up exercise as a way of fending off their advancing years. I occasionally get this itch to go down this path, but hold off on making a commitment because of the injuries to my knees and ankles from my wrestling days.

Plus, I don’t want to be that guy who constantly posts on Facebook about the 5K or half-marathon or run through the woods they just completed. Good for the people who love that stuff, but we have enough of those people.

My wife still puts up with me so anything in the romance arena is out. One time, I went online and researched plans which would allow me to build a home bar, but those measurements will just sit on a shelf mocking my inability to build or fix things.

Sure, I have TVs, computers and gadgets I like, but those don’t really meet the criteria. I bought a guitar years ago, but only play for myself in the basement. I think I’d need to join a band for that to count, and that’s not going to happen.

That really narrows down my mid-life crisis options to expensive toys or business projects. Over the years, I have changed into a more thrifty person so I wouldn’t stretch beyond our means just to get a little bit of an adrenaline rush.

Maybe I don’t need a mid-life crisis. Maybe the whole notion of a mid-life crisis is really overblown and sometimes we simply have more confidence to try new things as we get older. Maybe I’ve grown up just fine.

I’ll ponder that question as I stay up too late drinking beer, watching television and playing video games.