Actually most of my close friends are exactly the same age. (O_o)

One friend who I used to house share with is a good balance with me as far as she is soooo laid back and I am so hyper but when we go out she knows exactly the right time to say "let's go home for cups of tea!". My other close friend is as hyper as me which leads to crazy adventures and a history of horrific handovers.

Whooooo hooo, guest questioner!

For much of my adult life, my friends tended to be older than me --- as much as twice my age in a few cases.

I've kept most of those friends, but I notice most of the friends I've been making in recent years are younger than me by ten or fifteen years. Sometimes I miss being the callow youth... but not often.

Bonus question answer: my friends tend to be funny, curious, and questioning, not certain or staid.

In the last few years, lots of new friends have come into my life and most are younger. I just turned 41 a couple weeks ago, and can honestly say that one of my best friends of late is a 24 year old woman. We seem to have lots in common and sure know how to have fun together. I've been seeing a new person, you know, romantically, and she's 8 years younger.

I think I'm finding that my renewed enthusiasm for living is not really matched by many that are my age, but I'm not entirely sure how it's come to pass that most of my friends are between 5-15 years younger than I am! I do have friends that are closer in age, but a lot of my social time is spent with a younger crowd.

I sure hope this doesn't make me some creepy old dude. I'm pretty sure it doesn't, but hey, one never knows how one is seen, I suppose. I know I don't FEEL creepy. Hah.

Oh, and I meant to add...I have friends of of sorts, but the one thing that I tend to notice in the folks I keep around: we all lead an examined life. We're all sort of paying attention, and are both interesting, AND interested.

My close friends tend to be of any age, really.

As with anything I have a lot of theories on this one, which of course help answer the bonus questions. Growing up, I was best friends with my older brother (still am), and I always relished my parents' company. They taught me to treat everyone the same way and I think the level of friendly regard I have for them has translated in my life to an ability to be truly friendly with people from older generations (I think that's a hurdle for some people the way hanging with youngsters isn't, but that's quite probably inaccurate).

My friends tend to be people who don't let personalities get in the way of friendship, if that makes sense. When I'm around people who approach the world the way I do, I'm a relatively open book. My close friends don't talk shit; I'm not of the school that says "It's okay to be rude to each other because we're such good friends." If you jump stink on me for fun, I'll laugh and let you have it back, but I won't really trust you anymore. My friends treat other people the same way because we regard all people the same way, with curiosity and respect. It's really curiosity that my close friends bring out in me -- I'm more ingenuous than I am intelligent -- and I thrill in letting down my guard and displaying my ignorance to people I care about.

That last bonus question, about what people can tell by looking at my friends? If there's anything I strive for in my life, it's that the answer be nothing at all.

My close friends tend to be older than I am. In fact, in every circle I socialize in, I am the baby. I think this is because my husband is eight years older than I am and more established in his career. So we skew older (even a little older than him) socio-economically... our neighbors are a little older, colleagues too, etc. Don't think it's a big deal, we're all in similar spots life wise, if not chronos wise.

I think my friends illustrate different things about me. There are the friends that show I can play nice and be a good politically effective wife. There are the friends that show I love pub trivia and football tailgates and cheap beer. There are the friends that demonstrate my affinity for whiling my time away online with Friday night questions--here's lookin' at you meta-chat. So like most people, I like a lot of different stuff and a lot of different people.

Hrm. My closest (oldest) friends are pretty much the same age as me, maybe plus or minus 4 or 5 years. Which I guess would have seemed like a lot more 10 or 15 years ago.

But I have a bunch of *good* friends who range from about 25-60 or so (I am 35 FWIW).

And the only commonality I can think is that they all have something to say. I like people with opinions.

Interesting..

This question made me realize that most of my friends are younger (some MUCH younger) than I am.

Because, of course, I'm old as dirt.. and a lot of the people my age have moved to another level, so to speak.

I'm friends with my son's friends, my co-workers...

They have in common the ability to make me think.

I'm skipping my 45th class reunion this summer...the two people still alive that I want to talk to aren't coming... the rest of them are still the jerks they were in high school!

Most of my friends tend to be younger because, well ... I came out of the closet at the exact same time anyone older than me/mentor/elder ... well, they died. It's an awful time to remember, and I still suffer survivor's guilt (my coming-out-versary is 5/2/84) around this time of year.

I've had people--straight and gay--look askance on my because most of my close (and closer) friends tend to be at least 10 years younger than I. It used to bother me. Now I tell them to fuck off. :-)

Mostly older. Maybe because I'm in the last year of the baby boom, I tend to identify more with people at least a decade older than I am.

Friends from childhood are mostly the same age as me (which makes sense, since you're so age-divided when you're young); newer friends from adulthood tend to skew older.

Don't you have to have friends before you can have close friends?

Age wise, my friends are all over the map. They do however all seem to be way more liberal thinking than I am.

Thanks Ardiril, for posting this! I was out with the partner on a birthday bash. :)

I have friends of all ages, but usually within 10 years, either way. There are outliers in both directions.

I like to be friends with people who are not just like me, which is why I have so many friends, I like to think. :)

Most of my friends are younger than me. I think this is because I had a lot of 'wilderness years' where I didn't socialise properly, and only put those behind me when I was nearly 40.

Few people are older than me.

Mixed ages, I guess. Some around the same age (I'm 44), some younger, some older, some much older. It's funny, but my closest friends over the years have generally chosen me. I don't initiate well, but I'm generally receptive.

Most are my age. I have one close friend who is around 55. I'm 38.

My friends have differing personalities. Some are extremely outgoing, some are reserved. Most of my friends and I share a lot about our inner lives, in moderation. Like richat said, I like people who interested and interesting.

Oh, WolfDaddy, that just makes me want to give you a giant hug. Unless hugging would invade your space, in which case we can just fist-bump. I'm a hugger but I respect non-huggers.

I'm totally down with hugs Elsa. Also, WHUFFLES! :-)

WHUGFFLES!

That sounds extra-slobbery.

If you jump stink on me for fun, I'll laugh and let you have it back, but I won't really trust you anymore.

*eats sardines while jumping on trampoline, wipes hands on HJ*

(what are friends for? :)

I just have the one close friend (we celebrate our 27th anniversary in August). Among my larger circle of friends, though, I tend to be older most, the same age as a few, and younger than some.

I have 3 close friends who are younger, and most are my age or a year older or more.
In college, my closest group of friends was a year older and they graduated and I didn't and I missed them and ended up moving to the neighborhood they had all settled in when I did graduate.

Wilderness years- I like that phrase, Senyar.

I really have only one close friend and she's about 15 years younger than me. I don't really do well at making friends, so my 'friends' are generally my partner's friends and, as she's 12 years younger than me, her friends tend to be around her age. At work, I tend to socialise with people younger than me so, overall, I'd say my friends are younger. Its hard for me to find much in common with people the same age as me (I'm 49), because they all seem so old somehow. I suspect that it's because I'm immature.