I read a great article on the More website.
For those of you who aren't of a certain age, More is a magazine that is targeted at woman age 40 and up.
Therefore I am their target audience. I am the "up"
This article was written by Anna Quinlain, who's books and writing I very much enjoy. She discussed how when women get done whining, bitching, moaning about their age spots, hips, crepe-y neck skin etc. they actually love who they are now at an older age.
That story got my sister and I talking last night on the phone about this aging shit.
My sister is 8 years younger than me.
This gives me some wisdom to share with her.
Wisdom like what kind of bra has the industrial strength to hoist best when your breasts are staring at your feet.
Or how to look cool when you are having a hot flash. You know while your makeup and hair are sliding before every one's eyes at the dinner table and your husband asks loudly, "what the hell is going on with you, you look all wet?" (yes this actually happened and he is very very lucky to be alive!)
One of us used the word to describe someone as older, "an old person"
This type of verbiage went back and forth.
What we finally realized is that an old person or an elderly person is always someone who is at least 15 years older than us. And that made us laugh.
When I was 25 I thought 40 was an old person.
So when I am 61 that will no longer be old to me but 76 will be....until I'm 76.
Then old will be that guy who is 91.
We had a good laugh and determined that neither of us are old and that was our story and we were sticking to it.
Denial is a great part of aging....just another tidbit we gleaned.
14 comments:
I'm 38 and I've been the "old person" in our area at work for quite awhile. Makes me laugh when people act like I'm so old. I'm like just wait! Your turn is coming and you will be the oldest at some point!
Julie, they are already older than someone :-)
I burst out laughing at Rick's comment about your "personal summer" as my grandmother used to say. Men are stupid. And you're right; we're always older than somebody.
Arneyba, of course it's funny until it's you with aquaintances at a nice resturant. Now a few years later it's funny I admit. But my God that night I wanted to die. Instead I just look like I was melting before everyone's eyes.
I knew that I was getting old when I started being older than everyone in the office...including generals and senior NCOs, and also including heads of state (are you listening, Mr Obama and Mr Puting?). Agnes can compare notes with you about the hot flashes. Me, I'm just getting grayer and jowlier (although, oddly enough, I think I'm still as handsome as ever. We men are like that.)
I meant, "Putin."
Bilbo - you are correct you are very handsome and don't be mad but cute too. There are differences - ask Agnes. :-)
Sadly I spell so poorly that I even knew who you meant when you mispelled Putin. pathetic isn't it?
And yes you men are like that. God love my pot bellied stallion. He still thinks that belly is a chick magnet. Ya gotta love him!!
'you look all wet'
I'm STILL laughing at this. Good thing I didn't have this information last week.
Mike - I'm thinking it may have been good that he was stuck on the beltway. He would have told too many stories at my expense. But you all would have laughed a lot...at my expense.
Tell Claudia I'm finishing up my letter to Axelrod and Obama. I need to have Rick proof it and probably fine tune it.
I'm always laughing at the women (and men) who can't stand the thought of aging and spend all their time and energy trying to undo the effects of it. Stupid them, don't they know there really isn't a damn thing to do about it? Embrace your age! That's my motto, hence why I don't color the grey, or do anything about the crow's feet. I'm proud of my age of 51 because damn it, I am! It's just a number, not an expiration date!
Bonnie - laugh away!!
It's good you feel that way.
Not me - I will continue to try to do all I can to make the best of it all. I don't have crow's feet yet but I'm sure they'll come out soon enough. I color my hair too and I'm older than you. I'm completely gray at this stage but I just can't let it go.
Maybe at 60. I applaud you because I wish I were that way!
Great magazine and I will have to read the article...sometimes I have denial issues with aging! but it's also true, I like myself at this age and I finally am coming to a better understanding of who I really am...
good thoughts Peggy!
Ain't it the truth! The older I get -- 54 in August -- the 'elderly' benchmark goes higher...I am reading obits of my parent's friends and older friends, and catch myself saying, "but they were ONLY 83 --- " Sigh.
I'm not even trying to deny it, I'M OLD! And however old my birth certificate says I am... I feel WAY older.
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