I wish I could walk in your vicinity so you'd feel assured there are other 40+ ers wearing headphones. Check me at the grocery store at night--headphones. I even wear them when hiking and running on trails which is blasphemous to outdoor enthusiasts, but I like music and I like trails so to me it's best of all worlds...I at least rationalize my headphone-wearing as necessity because earbuds won't stay in my earholes. I think my ear-holes are too small or misshappen or something:)