Facing Reality
Will this be me in a couple of years?I am 39 years old. I don't have a problem admitting my age and so far, I haven't ever felt the need to lie about my age as some are inclined to do. I never really gave any thought to getting older since I never felt I was getting older...until recently. Over the past few months, there have been tell-tale signs that I am, indeed getting older. I am not the least bit prepared to face it and yet there's absolutely nothing I can do to prevent it. The only thing that makes me feel better about getting older is that I know it doesn't have to be synonomous with being old.
Because the initial trauma of recognizing the aging signs has faded to such a degree that I can now talk about them without shuddering, I will now share them with you.
Tell-tale Signs You're Getting Older
My son pulls out a vinyl record from the bookcase and asks me what it is.
A customer tells me about a great new band he just discovered on the radio. It's Duran Duran.
I am shopping to buy a new pair of shoes and for the first time, I opt for comfort and put the high-heeled slingbacks back on the shelf.
I play 20th Anniversary Trivial Pursuit and the other players are amazed at how I know all the answers even though they're no more than 10 years younger than me.
I overhear teenagers talking about what a great lyricist Alanis Morrissette is with her 'new' song "Crazy". When I inform them this is a remake of Seal's song from 15 years earlier, they stare at me in disbelief.
I wire money to my younger sister in NYC for Christmas and the bank clerk asks me if the recipient is my daughter.
I don't need to buy Retro fashion since I already have it in my closet.
I can have a conversation with my father and find myself agreeing with him most of the time.
I am nothing short of astonished to learn that my high school friend is married with a 17 year old daughter.
I complained about going to a party because the guests were all old. The thought never even occurred to me that they were the same age as me until my husband had to remind me.
I can't get away with not wearing makeup anymore...too many people ask me why I look so tired.
I have to fight the urge to brush teenagers hair and tell them to pull up their pants.
Customers ask me which one of our employees is my son. (The youngest employee is 24 years old. Do the math.)
I chose to a cafe bar last night because I liked the decor, overstuffed sofas and background music. Then I regretted my decision when I saw that all the patrons were in the 40+ age bracket. Surprise, surprise when reality set in a second later...they chose the place for the same reasons I did. I am one of them.
I woke up one morning and out of the millions of hairs on my head, it was the new strand of grey hair which paralysed me for several minutes.
SeaWitch, I'm coming up right behind ya on this one. Although I'm still waiting for the day when I no longer find farts funny.
Posted by
melusina |
18/3/06 19:41
I'll be 39 in a couple of weeks time so I know exactly how you feel. As far as the grey hairs are concerned, I'm just thankful I've still got some, whatever the colour.
It still freaks me out whenever one of my students has to put down their date of birth and I can remember what I was doing that period of my life.
Posted by
teacher dude |
20/3/06 02:21
Queen Bee said:
I said, "Nephew. Do you think I'm old." And he quickly assured me, "Oh no Auntie. You're not old. It's not like you were born in the '80s." THE 1980'S is OLD???!!!?? I am an antiquity.
I was born in the 80's. 1980 to be exact! So that means I'm OLD!
Posted by
Anonymous |
20/3/06 10:06
OK, I thought I knew so I gave myself a day to remember but my old brain won't, WHAT MOVIE is that picture from??? I know it...but I just.can't.remember.
AGHHHH!
Posted by
melusina |
20/3/06 16:27
Well, I'm older than all of you. Ha!
Posted by
Anonymous |
20/3/06 17:14
Mel...That's Roz from Monsters Inc. LOL
Diva...you big fat liar, I don't believe you! I've seen your pic! hehehe
Posted by
The SeaWitch |
20/3/06 17:27
Thanks for the compliment but it's true!
When a very good friend of mine turned 40 and I said "You don't look 40 bla bla" she replied "Darling, this is what 40 looks like"
My 40th birthday bash was called F40 (fabulous 40 or fucking 40 depending on how you felt). We were all bloody fabulous I can tell you!
I have some 20something friends who don't know who Tom Waits is. How sad is that?
Posted by
Anonymous |
21/3/06 07:46
That was a funny (but sadly astute) post.
Posted by
Anonymous |
21/3/06 09:51
Monsters, Inc, gah, I should have remembered!
I thought Tom Waits was making a big pull in the young indie market? I guess I was wrong.
Besides, 40 is YOUNG. I used to think it was old, but know I know better. ;)
Posted by
melusina |
21/3/06 14:14
ZARDDOZ SAYS :
Dear lovely ladies,
I'm a bit older than all of you
but from your writing's
had you all pegged,,,
all mis MEL ,mis DD, early twenties.
mis SEAWITCH early thirties
(remembered she mentioned a young son, a while back.)
and i dont know ,who TOM WAITES is,
at least i dont remember...(xmmmm)
Will TOM JONES do,,,?
or how about TOM SAWYER,,?
anyways
still feel somewere about 28 or ..
something like that , but there
are days i cant drag myself to bed
thank god or whoever, my wife is younger.and keeps me on my toes,
when my toes dont cooperate
with the rest of me.
I think my father must have felt
something like that,
He ran away from home, at age 70.
NO aint kiddin' .
======== Z ==========
Posted by
Anonymous |
21/3/06 19:47
Hi zardoz, early twenties eh! I have a ten year old.So that works out that I had him by the time I was....14! LOL
Posted by
Anonymous |
22/3/06 08:09
zardoz says:
so who is tom waites..?
14 huh ...
hands are certainly full,
=z=
Posted by
Anonymous |
22/3/06 18:25
The biggest tell-tale sign is how patient I've become. I've adopted a Confucius-sort-of attitude. I like getting older. I've weeded out the unimportant things in my life and feel less stressed out.
I refuse to dye my white hairs; I wear them proudly as Girl Scout badges of courage.
:-)
(oh, btw I'm 40)
Posted by
Flubberwinkle |
23/3/06 06:23