I'm in my mid fifties. Most days I feel like a lecherous teenager, but the one thing that makes me feel old is the absence of people who helped define my perception of the world and my times. Whether its family, friends, musicians, performers, politicians, etc, whether for good or bad, some people are just hard to imagine as gone for good. I'll start with mine.
George Carlin was my hero. He had long hair and was subversive, but he wasn't a dimwitted hippie. He spoke truth and was wickedly funny. He never failed to target stupidity and hypocrisy in everyday life and shine a light on it. He made me respect the truth, abandon lazy thinking and hold myself to a higher standard. I still can't believe he's gone for good.