This blog is truly about hanging out with friends who are still extremely fit...after I've gained about 10 more pounds than I care to admit. This brings us to Karen, whom I've known for about 20 years now...could I really have been only 22 when I met her? Wow, where do the years go?
So the story is, I joined a health club for the summer. I figured my kids would love going there with their friends as the club has a beautiful pool. I imagined them working out with me, then they'd head out to the pool to cool down. My youngest joined me twice and was bored to tears, and my oldest didn't come once. And this month, I've been once - tonight! I can blame travel and long hours at work, but it's really that I've lost the habit of working out regularly.
So there I am, 30 minutes on the bike and I'm ready to head to the saunas. As I head to the changing room (where the saunas are hidden), I run into Karen. Yes, drop-dead gorgeous, Karen. She's about as wonderful as you can get with a friend. Spiritual, really aware, very honest, never boastful, even when she could be. We start to catch up and I learn that she's broken up with her long term boyfriend. Again, she's really honest about how that all went down, and I learn that she is out there dating already. How do some women do that? I would wallow in self-pity for months - but not Karen. So I mention to Karen, Hey! We should go out dancing together some night. She kind of hesitated...I'm still not sure why - I mean I was outfitted in cool cycling pants and a comfortable workout shirt - just like her. Then she launced into bars are not where you want to be right now. OK, so it's been a while since I went out. We separated, promising to share information on MeetUps. I missed enjoying the sauna because we talked so long. It was really great seeing Karen again, even though now my stomach hurts from holding it in for so long.
I got home, started a hot bath (almost suana effects from the steam), and looked in the full-length mirror. There she is! That woman again! I don't know how she does it, but she's there every time I start to think about dating...I felt confident and attractive when talking with Karen, only to come home to see that woman in my mirror again...oh my God! How could she ever leave the house in those tight cycling pants and dirty white work out shirt? Then it slowly came over me...I also wore my cycling pants and dirty white shirt to the club. I thought how weird that we'd both wear the same outfit. However, I'm 42 and she's well...let's just say older.
"Dancing, anyone?" she asks, with a quiet laugh.
Who is that woman?
If you take away nothing more than a good laugh about getting older, my day is complete.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
on forgetfulness
Yes, there are a lot of jokes out there about forgetfulness as we age, but unfortunately, I've had this trait my whole life, which makes me very concerned that it may very well get worse! Ack! Now, what was I saying? Oh yeah...forgetfulness.
I promised myself that I would write one blog a day until nirvana happened. Only thing is, I forgot to post a blog yesterday. See what I'm saying? I can't even keep my mind straight with such a simple task as one blog every day.
I wish I could blame this one on that other woman, the one that keeps following me, reminding me of my age, but as I said, I've had this my whole life...this is not her fault. I just wish she'd keep her mouth shut when I do forget things and not try to press me into admitting my forgetfulness is due to aging. It's not. I'm still only 42. And I've had this trait my whole life, haven't I? I think I have, that is. "Try to remember, Kay," she whispers to me, with a slight smile on her face. Or is that a smirk?
Who is that woman?
I promised myself that I would write one blog a day until nirvana happened. Only thing is, I forgot to post a blog yesterday. See what I'm saying? I can't even keep my mind straight with such a simple task as one blog every day.
I wish I could blame this one on that other woman, the one that keeps following me, reminding me of my age, but as I said, I've had this my whole life...this is not her fault. I just wish she'd keep her mouth shut when I do forget things and not try to press me into admitting my forgetfulness is due to aging. It's not. I'm still only 42. And I've had this trait my whole life, haven't I? I think I have, that is. "Try to remember, Kay," she whispers to me, with a slight smile on her face. Or is that a smirk?
Who is that woman?
Sunday, August 19, 2012
on energy
I'm the youngest of five and when I was still living at home, I hated being the youngest. I always had to wait before I could do what my older sisters were doing. Today, I feel my youngest daughter's pain as she has to wait until she turns 16 for her first iPhone and her driver's license, as I was always last, too.
Now that my sisters and I are, let's say, a wee bit older, the tables have turned. I like being the youngest and still having kids at home. They keep me young (and cause grey hair at the same time...).
It is weird, very weird, to see my sisters age, as I'm still only 42. We all color our hair now, and watch our weight more carefully. However, I see wrinkles on my sisters, where I don't have very many yet...and I see their energy lessening when we all get together. They go to bed earlier now, and when we get together to dance, they sit more than they used to.
I, on the otherhand, stay on the dance floor until the lights go out and can spend all day long working on my house without getting tired. I like being the youngest sister now!
Why just the other day, I was thinking about cleaning out my closet, as I love tidy closets. My mind saw a beautiful closet, with all the junk removed and taken to Sister Carmen's, a local charity. I knew I could jump in there and transform my closet in no time at all. Lots of energy, that's me!
All of a sudden, that woman joined me. Yes, that one. The one that looks like me, but is older - much older. She looked at my closet and convinced me to put it off for another day as she got tired just looking at the mess.
"It can wait," she whispered to me as she laid down on my bed for a nap.
Who is that woman?
Now that my sisters and I are, let's say, a wee bit older, the tables have turned. I like being the youngest and still having kids at home. They keep me young (and cause grey hair at the same time...).
It is weird, very weird, to see my sisters age, as I'm still only 42. We all color our hair now, and watch our weight more carefully. However, I see wrinkles on my sisters, where I don't have very many yet...and I see their energy lessening when we all get together. They go to bed earlier now, and when we get together to dance, they sit more than they used to.
I, on the otherhand, stay on the dance floor until the lights go out and can spend all day long working on my house without getting tired. I like being the youngest sister now!
Why just the other day, I was thinking about cleaning out my closet, as I love tidy closets. My mind saw a beautiful closet, with all the junk removed and taken to Sister Carmen's, a local charity. I knew I could jump in there and transform my closet in no time at all. Lots of energy, that's me!
All of a sudden, that woman joined me. Yes, that one. The one that looks like me, but is older - much older. She looked at my closet and convinced me to put it off for another day as she got tired just looking at the mess.
"It can wait," she whispered to me as she laid down on my bed for a nap.
Who is that woman?
Saturday, August 18, 2012
on new ideas
The idea for this blog began one day when I stepped out of the shower, feeling incredibly rejuvenated and full of energy. I had been working a lot of hours for a special project and was appreciating my energy level of that day. I felt like I was in the prime of my life and could do anything I set my mind to. After all, that's what being 42 is all about. Wisdom of the years, with strength and courage that did not come to me in my youth. That's me - strong and invincible, I thought to myself that day. Man, I felt great!
I stepped in front of the mirror ready to dry my hair and put on my days' makeup, only to be accosted by a stranger! Fortunately, the stranger was a woman, as I would have really freaked out if she had been anything other. But this woman was not 42, she was much older. And her eyes looked tired and puffy from working too many hours over the last several weeks. She slumped a little bit, too, and had a belly on her!
I was stunned and squinted my eyes as I looked more closely at this woman. She did not smile back at me. In fact, she looked just as surprised as I was feeling at the moment. And in that moment of "ah ha!" I realized I had a blog. And...
Who is that woman?
I stepped in front of the mirror ready to dry my hair and put on my days' makeup, only to be accosted by a stranger! Fortunately, the stranger was a woman, as I would have really freaked out if she had been anything other. But this woman was not 42, she was much older. And her eyes looked tired and puffy from working too many hours over the last several weeks. She slumped a little bit, too, and had a belly on her!
I was stunned and squinted my eyes as I looked more closely at this woman. She did not smile back at me. In fact, she looked just as surprised as I was feeling at the moment. And in that moment of "ah ha!" I realized I had a blog. And...
Who is that woman?
on haircuts
My hairstylists are always young and beautiful...I'm not sure why, as I seriously and carefully select them based on their haircutting techniques and ability to bring out the best color for me - not their age or beauty. I will admit, I like hip and fun hairstylists who don't see me just as a "mom," as those haircuts tend to be boring in my part of the world. I also don't want to a haircut that I see on every other mom at school events.
It takes a while to train my hairstylists on what I want, as most don't expect a 42 year old mom to want rich, golden tones sitting on top of a darker brown color. Also, they tend to cut my bangs way too short when I first start going to them. I look really goofy when that happens - and trust me, the hairstylist only does that once or I don't return. I want to have soft, sexy hair, with long bangs, even if the cut is short, which it is right now.
As I'm sitting in the chair, with everyone around me talking about marriages, kids, and jobs, I glance up from my magazine and into the mirror. At first, all I see are the foils all over my head, making me look like a martian. Then I see her. Yes! You know the one. The one that looks like me, but only older? She's there, reading the same magazine I am, and looking tired and beat. Not at all like the way I feel, which is full of energy and life. I mean, after all, I am getting my hair done. What girl doesn't feel better after a few hours at the salon?
But, there she is. Staring back at me. How does she always find me?
Who is that woman?
It takes a while to train my hairstylists on what I want, as most don't expect a 42 year old mom to want rich, golden tones sitting on top of a darker brown color. Also, they tend to cut my bangs way too short when I first start going to them. I look really goofy when that happens - and trust me, the hairstylist only does that once or I don't return. I want to have soft, sexy hair, with long bangs, even if the cut is short, which it is right now.
As I'm sitting in the chair, with everyone around me talking about marriages, kids, and jobs, I glance up from my magazine and into the mirror. At first, all I see are the foils all over my head, making me look like a martian. Then I see her. Yes! You know the one. The one that looks like me, but only older? She's there, reading the same magazine I am, and looking tired and beat. Not at all like the way I feel, which is full of energy and life. I mean, after all, I am getting my hair done. What girl doesn't feel better after a few hours at the salon?
But, there she is. Staring back at me. How does she always find me?
Who is that woman?
on Sephora
I ran out of my face moisturizer the other day and realized that I needed to update my foundation and eye shadows as well. I entered Sephora and looked around at all the tempting displays of goodies. I held myself in and stayed focused on what I needed. Moisturizer, foundation, and eye shadow. Enough for one day, I thought to myself as I gazed longingly at the colorful displays.
A sales lady came up to me and asked if she could help me find anything. She was in her 20's and had a sincere smile. Her makeup was not overdone, like so many cosmetic sales ladies are, so I trusted her immediately. I told her the brand of foundation I liked and she took me right over to that counter. I then remembered I needed some new blush, too. She was excited when I said I wanted to try a bronzer, as my 16 year old uses this and it looks great on her. She pulled out a beautiful bronzer and started to put on the foundation and bronzer on me. I was having a great time! This saleslady knew exactly what I needed to freshed up my look!
She then took me over to the eye shadow counter and picked out a darling 5-color combo for me. Oh, then I remembered my eyeliner had dried up and I needed to freshen that up, too. The saleslady knew just the brand I needed. And I asked what she would suggest about eyebrow color as my brows are extremely light due to being blonde. She knew just the gel that would look terrific on me.
All this in just 15 minutes. I was in heaven and got so excited that I almost left the store without my moisturizer. My saleslady remembered and took me right over to that counter, too. $250 later, I walked out of that store with a darling Sephora bag in hand, full of wonderful samples that were dropped in by the cashier. What a great time I had in that store!
I went home and immediately put all my new goodies away and threw away my dried up eyeliner and blush that was so-yesterday. I looked up into the mirror, expecting to see my 42 year old reflection, ready to put on new makeup, only to see her again. Yes, that other woman who won't leave me alone...the one that insists that I pay attention to my tired eyes, my thinning lips, and the deepening lines between my eyes before I play with my new makeup.
Who is that woman?
A sales lady came up to me and asked if she could help me find anything. She was in her 20's and had a sincere smile. Her makeup was not overdone, like so many cosmetic sales ladies are, so I trusted her immediately. I told her the brand of foundation I liked and she took me right over to that counter. I then remembered I needed some new blush, too. She was excited when I said I wanted to try a bronzer, as my 16 year old uses this and it looks great on her. She pulled out a beautiful bronzer and started to put on the foundation and bronzer on me. I was having a great time! This saleslady knew exactly what I needed to freshed up my look!
She then took me over to the eye shadow counter and picked out a darling 5-color combo for me. Oh, then I remembered my eyeliner had dried up and I needed to freshen that up, too. The saleslady knew just the brand I needed. And I asked what she would suggest about eyebrow color as my brows are extremely light due to being blonde. She knew just the gel that would look terrific on me.
All this in just 15 minutes. I was in heaven and got so excited that I almost left the store without my moisturizer. My saleslady remembered and took me right over to that counter, too. $250 later, I walked out of that store with a darling Sephora bag in hand, full of wonderful samples that were dropped in by the cashier. What a great time I had in that store!
I went home and immediately put all my new goodies away and threw away my dried up eyeliner and blush that was so-yesterday. I looked up into the mirror, expecting to see my 42 year old reflection, ready to put on new makeup, only to see her again. Yes, that other woman who won't leave me alone...the one that insists that I pay attention to my tired eyes, my thinning lips, and the deepening lines between my eyes before I play with my new makeup.
Who is that woman?
on swim suits
I think enough said on this...no need to go into any details. I don't even need that other woman, the one who looks like me, but is older, to show up to tell me to stay away from two-pieces. However, I would like to try on that one-piece that has the tummy tuck. "Oh, saleslady, do you have this in a larger size?"
I don't know how she does it, but that other woman is back again and in the dressing room this time. I didn't even notice her following me in. However, when I turn around to look in the mirror and see how the tummy-tucker is doing, there she is. Reminding me that my legs have bumps and curves that shouldn't be there on a 42 year old.
I hear the other woman whisper to me, "The tummy-tucker isn't worth the extra money. Stick to capris."
Who is that woman?
I don't know how she does it, but that other woman is back again and in the dressing room this time. I didn't even notice her following me in. However, when I turn around to look in the mirror and see how the tummy-tucker is doing, there she is. Reminding me that my legs have bumps and curves that shouldn't be there on a 42 year old.
I hear the other woman whisper to me, "The tummy-tucker isn't worth the extra money. Stick to capris."
Who is that woman?
on glasses
Ok, I am tired of buying reading glasses, only to discover upon getting home that they look awful. My eye doctor's wife, Laura, who is around 32 and works in the front office, tries hard to find me just the right pair - something that looks as darling on me as her glasses look on her. I never listen to her as she pickes out frames for what I see as for "moms" and "older women." I select something that is similar to what Laura is wearing that day as I'm just positive I'll look stunning in them, just like she does.
I identify with Laura every time I go in there. We are two of a kind. Young and hip. We laugh a lot. She also runs a lot and is thin as a reed. Her hair is longer than mine and falls across her shoulders like mine did just a few years ago.
The last time I bought a pair of glasses from Laura, I just loved them in the store. The lighting was just right and I know they made me look ten years younger, just like Laura.
When I got home, that darn woman was there again - the one that looks like me, but is older. I was checking myself out in the hallway mirror, and there she was! Bold as day, showing me that the glasses were too young for someone my age.
Who is that woman?
I identify with Laura every time I go in there. We are two of a kind. Young and hip. We laugh a lot. She also runs a lot and is thin as a reed. Her hair is longer than mine and falls across her shoulders like mine did just a few years ago.
The last time I bought a pair of glasses from Laura, I just loved them in the store. The lighting was just right and I know they made me look ten years younger, just like Laura.
When I got home, that darn woman was there again - the one that looks like me, but is older. I was checking myself out in the hallway mirror, and there she was! Bold as day, showing me that the glasses were too young for someone my age.
Who is that woman?
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