Forever In Blue Jeans

I Have Moved

noreply@blogger.com (Newme) — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 18:54:00 +0000

I have decided to move this blog over to my own site using wordpress.org. Not that I didn't like it on Blogger, but I'm just more used to working on Wordpress, since the job I had for the past year required me to work there a lot.

So without further adieu, here is the new address for "Forever in Blue Jeans" http://foreverinbluejeans-newme.com/

I've already moved all of my previous posts, and created a few new ones.

I hope you'll follow me there!

Long Time No Post

noreply@blogger.com (Newme) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 04:10:00 +0000

Wow! It's been almost a year since I last posted anything here. Talk about your massive procrastination. But I do plan to start keeping up on my blog...to start writing again.

So much has happened this past year. It's almost mind boggling what a whirlwind of a year it has been.

As you may know from my previous post "I Quit", I had quit smoking and started vaping last February. Well I'm happy to report that it's been a little over a year and I'm still not smoking. This lead to me starting to want to become more healthy. Which lead me down a path that I'm still working on concerning eating organic foods, making more of my own things from scratch...etc. Quitting smoking also caused me to gain some weight, which I am still working on trying to lose.

Another big part of this last year is that I got a full time job online in editing and social media. I loved it! Unfortunately the company has been having some financial issues and I lost my job a couple of weeks ago. But what a fun filled, busy busy year it was. The money I was earning allowed my husband and I to get out and do some fun things this last summer, including a night in downtown Chicago. And it allowed us to buy some things we've really been wanting, including completely redoing our bedroom.

Sad as I am that the job I had is over, I'm really grateful that it sent me in a direction that I never would have realized I wanted to go. I found that I LOVE editing! And as a result I started taking college courses to get my copy editing certificate.

I could go on and on about this past year, but those are pretty much the highlights.

I'm hoping I find another job fairly soon. And I am working toward getting back in the flow of writing again. One good thing about not being so busy is I have time to read, think, relax, and regroup.

I'm looking forward to this next year, wondering what it will hold. Only God knows for sure.

I Quit!

noreply@blogger.com (Newme) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 14:38:00 +0000

One month ago today, I quit smoking. Which, if you knew me, you’d realize is HUGE!!! The really weird thing is that I had no intentions of quitting…..ever.

I started smoking at 13 years old. From the first moment I lit up, I loved it! Looking back, I’m sure some of it was the “Cool” factor. But I truly have always loved smoking. And for over 35 years (don’t do the math!) I smoked about 1 ½ packs a day. Never once had I tried to quit. I knew I couldn’t and I knew I didn’t want to.

All of that changed a little over a month ago when a friend told me about e-cigarettes. I had heard that they existed. I just had no idea what they were, and I wasn’t interested anyway, because, like I said, I didn’t want to quit. I think what made me pay attention to what she was telling me, was the fact that she was a fairly heavy smoker as well. She understood me. She told me how she was “vaping” (that’s the term used for puffing on an e-cig) and that it not only helped her to quit smoking, but that she was having no withdrawals and it felt like she was still smoking.

After our conversation ended, I decided to look into this. I went to the internet and googled e-cigarettes. And, of course, there was a ton of information…too much as usual. The first thing that I did find, that was extremely helpful was a very large forum called www.e-cigarette-forum.com. Though even that, at first, was overwhelming. Fortunately, they do have a “new members” section. So, for several days, I read and read and read. Until finally I felt I had a real handle on this “vaping” and decided I wanted to try it.

The first thing I did, thanks to some help from the forum, was decide what type of e-cigarette I wanted, and which brand to buy. Which is no small task. There are tons of different types and brands to choose from. But I decided on what I believed to be the best for me, which thankfully turned out to be just perfect. While I waited for them to arrive, I continued to read as much as I could about this new technology, and how to get the most out of this experience, along with how to quit smoking using these. I found myself actually getting excited about trying this.

My intentions were to alternate the vaping with the smoking, at first. And slowly cut down the cigarettes, in favor of vaping. But on the very first day, I only smoked 10 cigarettes, which is a third of what I normally smoked. And I didn’t even miss the other 20. The following day, I only smoked seven cigarettes, and within a few more days, only about four. By the end of the week, I was completely smoke free. Now I’ll admit, I have tried a cigarette twice in the past month, thinking I was somehow still missing something. But I tossed them out fairly quickly. They just don't have that hold on me any longer.

I seriously could not believe how easy it was! I’m still in a bit of shock. My husband is ecstatic! He has never been a smoker, and he hated all the smoke in the house, and the fact that I smelled "like an ashtray" (his words, not mine). I have to admit, I really can breathe easier. My cough is gone, and so is the constant stuffiness I had. I’m starting to get my sense of smell back, and from what I understand I’ll be able to taste food better. I’m not really sure what that means yet, because food tasted just fine to me before, but we’ll see. I have suffered NO ill effects from quitting, which was one of my biggest worries. Quitting, with vaping, has been completely painless.

You may wonder when I’ll take the next step and quit vaping. I don’t know. I’m definitely not there yet, and not sure if I ever will be. But at least I’ve traded the 4000+ toxins of the cigarettes for the one (nicotine) that is in the vapor I inhale.

If you smoke, or know someone who does, and are interested in learning more about this “vaping” check out www.e-cigarette-forum.com for more information. Also, there was a recent study done by the Boston University School of Public Health about E-cigarettes that is quite interesting.

Oh…..and the brand I decided on, which I absolutely love, is called Bloog. Their website address is www.bloogplanet.com. And if you find you like what you see and want to make a purchase, you can get 10% off by entering the code: EPCE44TEN.

If you have any further questions, feel free to ask me in the comment section. I will do my best to help.

Shoooooooooooeeeeeeees!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Newme) — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 16:09:00 +0000

I have to confess, I have a bit of a shoe addiction. Or is it an obsession? Well whatever you want to call it, I have it, and it is contagious. If you get to close you might catch it too. So don’t say I didn’t warn you.

And actually the title of this post comes from my granddaughter Haley. You see she spends the majority of her time with me. She follows me around all day trying to emulate everything I do. She cracks me up most of the time. For example, her first real word was shooooooooeeeeeees. LOL! That’s exactly how she said it. And she’s constantly getting into my shoes, trying them on and checking herself out in the mirror. We finally had to buy her a collection of cute dressy little kids shoes to keep her out of grandma’s fairly expensive collection. But I’m getting off topic. This post is actually about my Mother’s Day present this year.

When my kids asked what to get me for mother’s day, I already knew exactly what I wanted. Shooooooooeeeeeeees!!!!! I’m sure they thought I was nuts. But that’s nothing new. They told me I already had tons of shoes. But these weren’t just any old shoes. They were a special pair. One of kind. Custom made and designed. Just for me.

Besides these weren’t another pair of pumps, or strappy heels, or sandals, or boots. These were a pair of my all time favorite Chuck Taylor Converse shoes. I have owned and worn out many pairs of these shoes since Jr High. I have had them in high tops, low tops, and in many different colors. But never in my wildest dreams did I think I could have a pair that I designed myself. Check them out.

If you’re crazy like me, and love these shoes, Here’s a link to The Chuck Taylor All Star Layer-Up - Design Your Own to get you started creating your own. It’s really cool how you can choose every detail down to even the stitching on them. Plus you can choose your own personal id that can be placed on the heel strip or the lower outside of the shoe. I picked my screen name "Newme".

After I placed my order I started to worry that they wouldn’t look exactly like they did in the picture on my screen. Or that they wouldn’t be the same quality that I’m used to with Converse shoes. But when they came I was blown away by just how perfect they were. I love everything about them!!! And I love my kids for such an awesome Mother’s Day present!

So check it out. Go nuts. And have fun designing your own pair or pairs. I already have a couple more designs saved in my account that I just might buy someday soon.

I Love Reviews!

noreply@blogger.com (Newme) — Tue, 25 May 2010 19:54:00 +0000

I don’t know about you, but I don’t buy anything these days without extensively looking up the reviews of a product. I’m actually a fanatic when it comes to this. So I plan to occasionally do reviews on this blog, to add my 2 cents worth about products I’ve tried and loved, or not. Either way, you’ll know exactly where I stand.

I may also add links to the products where you can purchase them. I am beginning some affiliate link programs with companies that I already do business with and love. My first affiliation so far is very fitting because I have spent innumerable hours and dollars at both their stores and website. And for those who know me well, you know that I’m speaking of Sephora.com. My all time favorite place for all things girly. But I will be brutally honest about a product, whether it comes from a store I affiliate with or not, and I would never personally link you to something I don’t care for myself.

With that said, I hope you not only enjoy my reviews, but also walk away with a good idea as to whether a product is right for you or not.

Never Say Never

noreply@blogger.com (Newme) — Mon, 17 May 2010 05:37:00 +0000

I know you’ve probably heard this a millions times but it’s really true. Never say never! Actually, it’s really a good idea to avoid absolute statements entirely. It never fails, ok maybe I shouldn’t have said never, but somehow it does seem to fit here. Anyway, it never fails that I say something like “I never get colds” and then I get sick. Or “I’ve never had a ticket”. Yeah, guess what happened within weeks of that statement.

But it doesn’t just happen with the smaller things. There are a few specific things I’ve said I would never do. And as fate would have it, I either have done them or am still doing them.

To start with, at a very young age I said I would never teach. I hated teaching anyone anything. So what did I end up doing? I homeschooled my children for about 15 years, every grade, every subject imaginable. Did I love it? Well it had its good points and bad points. It was a lot of work. I felt it was important that they have plenty of socialization so along with all the teaching, I ran them to all kinds of activities. Not to mention it’s not easy to be your kid’s teacher and parent. But I’m really glad I did it, and if I had to do it over again, I would, without hesitation. I probably learned more during those years than they did. Patience probably being my biggest lesson from that.

Another never had to do with cleaning. I hate cleaning! I mean I really really hate cleaning! But my husband was out of work during a previous recession and one day the idea came to start a cleaning business. Now I’ll admit he still does almost all of the cleaning. But I do help with the commercial accounts. Thankfully, at the moment we only have one of those. But there have been times that I was working a few days a week with him on them. Did it cure me of my aversion to cleaning? Not one little bit. And I still do as little as I can get away with around the house. But I admit that this business has been a godsend and has supported our family for over 15 years. So I guess in that way, I’ve learned to love cleaning…..that is, so long as I’m not the one doing it.

I told my children, under no certain terms, that I would never be taking care of my grandchildren. Of course they could come and spend the night…when I wanted them to. But I did my job and raised four kids and I was not about to be the family babysitter. Well I shouldn’t have said never, because my son got a girl pregnant a few years ago and she had a beautiful little girl, who now lives with us. Actually, I should say, she and her father live with us. There was a fairly long period of time when her mom decided to take a break from parenting and so I ended up being my granddaughter’s mother. The mom is now back in the picture, and she has her a few days a week, but I pretty much have her the rest of the time, because my son works pretty long hours. This is kind of a love hate situation for me. I adore my granddaughter! One moment she’ll be cracking me up by the hilarious things she does, and the next she’s driving me nuts getting into everything. Of course I know that’s typical for a toddler. But there are times that I resent her parents because this was not supposed to be my job. I did my job! And now they should be doing theirs. And then I look in those big blue eyes and that adorable little face and I know that she needs me. And if she didn’t have me, she’s wouldn’t have anyone to help make sure she turns out ok. And yet my selfish side says that this was supposed to be the time of my life that was for “me” or even more important for my husband and myself. Well……maybe someday it will be.

So I’m here to tell you, watch out what you say never about. Life has a way of taking what you say you’ll never do, and turning it into something that takes you in directions you never thought you would go. Sometimes it teaches you life lessons that you really didn’t want to learn but needed to. And then there are those pleasant surprises, things you didn’t know you really did want in your life after all. Life is funny that way.

Old Habits Die Harder

noreply@blogger.com (Newme) — Mon, 10 May 2010 14:40:00 +0000

They say that research has proven that it takes 21 days to form a new habit. Riiiiiiight!!! I don’t think so. At least not for me it doesn't. I say old habits die harder.

For instance, I recently purchased quite a bit of new skincare. Over the winter my skin was just horrid. And the turning 50 “thing” sure wasn’t helping either. Well I finally decided to bite the bullet and spend a bit more than I already was. A bit more? Hahahaha!!! I went from Cetaphil to Philosophy Hope in a Jar. And for those of you who know what I’m talking about, that was a financial leap. Anyway, I bought all this stuff and religiously used it. The more I did, the better my skin looked and felt. And within a month’s time my skin was not only glowing, but it felt almost as soft as my granddaughter’s skin. The wrinkles, roughness, blackheads, and quite a bit of my rosacea were all gone.

You would think that would be enough for anyone, with any sense, to keep it up every day, day and night, no matter what. Nope, not me. It all started one night when I was a bit too tired and all I wanted to do was go to bed. So I decided it could wait til morning, just this once. Then I started putting off the nighttime routine more and more often and before I knew it, that good habit started falling by the wayside, again. I never was really good at bedtime face washing routines. Then I started skipping doing the masks, and the scrubs. And now I’m back to square one. Of course, I will get back on track, again. And off track, again. It’s a vicious cycle I’m doomed to repeat.

But skincare isn’t my only “bad” habit that I seem unable to completely break. I’m in a constant battle to stay thinnish. I say that because it’s just so hard to balance looks versus really living. And there has to be a balance, especially with 50 year old hormones. Menopause puts on weight, lower metabolism due to age puts on weight, calories put on weight, not exercising puts on weight. I know my super skinny days are gone. Not that I really mind that too much. At least now I have more of a womanly figure. But I do have to be careful and work harder to not let that get out of hand.

So do I live in a foodless, tasteless world where I work out every day? Of course not. But the battle to balance it all rages on. I go up 5 to 10 pounds and down 5 to 10 pounds. Nothing like good ol’ Yoyo dieting. ’ll stick with my diet for just so long, then all of a sudden real food starts looking good again. Plus, when I do lose weight it always wants to disappear from my already small chest, and when I gain it back it always want to land on my abdomen. Why can’t that be the other way around? Then I probably wouldn’t mind the weight.

Speaking of exercise. Most Mondays I remember to exercise, Wednesdays are a maybe, and by the time Friday rolls around….well….you know. Then the weekend comes and I want to wear something nice for our date night, but nothing fits right. And I swear at the mirror, and I swear at myself, and I swear I’m going to get back on track…..on Monday.

Now I’m not totally unsuccessful at breaking bad habits. I did quit biting my nails…..finally. But I sure didn’t do it in 21 days. Nope! Try more like…..42 years. But I finally did it, and I haven’t had the urge to bite them since. I now take pride in how nice they look. Though I can get lazy about taking care of them from time to time. Oh well, like I said, old habits die harder.

I could go on and on writing about all the bad habits I’ve tried to break. There are so many things that I know I should do, try to do, right….but don’t. So tell me, does it really take only 21 days to form a new habit? Is there a trick to this formula that I’m missing? Or am I the only one who struggles to keep the good habits and get rid of the bad?

Confessions of a True Coffee Addict

noreply@blogger.com (Newme) — Thu, 06 May 2010 22:40:00 +0000

For as long as I can remember, I have loved coffee. My first memory of it was when I was about three or four years old. My mother and grandmother were sitting there having a cup and I wanted some too. So my grandmother got out one of her cute little demitasse cups, she had a beautiful collection of them, and made me a cup that was mostly milk and sugar with just a little coffee in it. That was it! I was hooked! After that day I remember that I would beg for a cup of coffee every chance I got. Occasionally I would get my little cup’s worth, but not very often. They kept telling me that it really wasn’t good for me, and that it would stunt my growth. But I didn’t care, I just wanted to taste that wonderful nectar of the gods.

By the time I hit my teens, my mother pretty much gave up and let me have a cup every morning. I still drank it with cream and a couple teaspoons of sugar. But I loved it, everything about it; the smell of the grounds and when it was freshly brewing, the warmth of it going down, the taste of that first sip in the morning. And, of course, I loved the caffeine buzz. I am not, and never was, a morning person, so I need my coffee kick to get my motor running.

Well what started out as a little morning kick has now become a full blown addiction. The first thing I do every morning is make a pot of coffee. I drink it from the time I get up until I go to bed, and I drink little else. And yes, I can and do have a cup right before bedtime, with no problems sleeping at all.

And not only am I addicted to coffee, but I’m addicted to Starbucks coffee. That started about 15 years ago when the first Starbucks came to our area. Or should I say, the area where my daughter took daily dance lessons. You see, the dance studio was on the second floor, and the Starbucks was right below it. Now wasn’t that convenient? Then we moved to Wisconsin and the place we live now has a Starbucks exactly one block away from us. We’ve been here 11 years and I still have no intention of moving. Yes, I do love where I live, but part if it is being close to “my” Starbucks. I’m there so often that they know me by name and usually know what I’m going to drink.

Now I’m not a fancy coffee drinker. I just like a good strong cup of great coffee. Yes, occasionally I will have a mocha. But that’s not really coffee. It’s hot chocolate with a kick. And once in a great while I’ll have a latte, probably because it reminds me of the coffee my grandma used to fix me long ago. But my usual order is the coffee of the day and I still put cream in it. I did give up the sugar many years ago. It just has too many calories and is bad for you. Hahaha!!! And in the summer, I usually drink Iced coffees or coffee fraps. But not until after I’ve had my first cup of hot coffee in the morning in front of the air conditioner. Yes, I know, I’m crazy. So what else is new?

I’ve even become somewhat of a coffee connoisseur. Like a wine connoisseur, I understand all the flavors and subtleties that are in specific types of coffee beans. I know which beans I like, and I know exactly why I like them. My preferences are a clean, smooth coffee, usually from the south and central Americas. As opposed to the African and Indonesian blends that, to me, taste like dirt. And I’m not 100% sure if this is true but, a barista at Starbucks told me that is because those regions do not wash the beans before they roast them. As a matter of fact, I’m so obsessed with my favorite blend, which is only out for a limited time each year, that I buy 10 to 15 pounds so that it will last.

You’re probably thinking right about now that I must have terrible health. But the truly funny thing is that I’m the healthiest person I know. I almost never catch anything that is going around, and if I do, I don’t get it as bad as everyone else. And actually coffee can even be used for medicinal purposes. It can get rid of a headache, increases the strength of pain killers, is a natural bronchodilator, help with weight loss, and reduce your risk of diabetes. And I think it’s funny how medical science has a different report out almost weekly saying, coffee is bad for you; no, now coffee is good for you. I don’t know and I don’t care. Either way, what I do know is that I love it and I will drink it until the day I die.

Under Construction

noreply@blogger.com (Newme) — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 03:48:00 +0000

Ok, enough procrastinating. I am going to get my butt moving on starting up this blog.

Part of the problem has been that I have no idea how you do all this stuff. But I’m learning. So pardon my dust, so to speak, as I fumble my way through this new mode of communication. I know, I know, it’s not really all that new. So I’m behind a bit. But I’m trying to catch on and catch up.

Another problem has been trying to define, in my own mind, what I want this blog to represent. Where I want to take it. What I want to do with it. Basically, as the subheader states, it’s for women in their 40's, 50's
and beyond who don't feel their age.

But what all does that cover? So many topics ran through my mind. There are of course the obvious ones like menopause, wrinkles, empty and still not so empty nests, the second half of marriage, and all the subtopics that come under those. Then there’s fashion, skincare,
makeup, exercise, dieting, and the list goes on. At first I worried that I was biting off more than I could chew. That there would be a problem with my blog being a little of everything and a lot of nothing.

But that basically defines who I am. I am a multifaceted, multitasking, multi-thinking, completely ADD woman. And I like it that way. So that is what this blog represents. All of the things that affect me and interest me as I travel along this second half of my journey called my life. And since I’ve found a new love for writing I thought, what better way to share (write about) my experiences, challenges, discoveries, what have you, than through this blog. I also want to share what I’ve learned on many many topics through personal research. And to share my experience with the myriad of products that I’ve tried and loved…..or not. I confess to being a total and complete shopping addict. Fortunately I’m also a self-professed die-hard bargain hunter.

So I invite you to take this journey with me. Hopefully we can learn something from each other. I invite and encourage your comments. At the very least I hope I can be somewhat informative, amusing and entertaining. Whatever your reason for reading my blog, let me say, Thank You for letting me share my life with you.

Oh and if I forget to post, come on over to Twitter or Facebook and kick my butt back into gear. I’m probably off playing games or wasting time on the internet doing nothing particularly important. I have a tendency to do that…….a lot!

Written by Newme

April 17, 2010

Sisters

noreply@blogger.com (Newme) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:51:00 +0000

It's 10 am and my sister who is two years younger than me is coming over for the day. She'll be here in a couple hours and I haven't seen her for eight years. I've already run around the house giving it a once over. There is no way my house is going to be messy when she arrives. And I've finally decided on an outfit that would make me look young, thin, good? How about, better than her? I sit down to do my makeup and take a good look in the mirror at my face, and I wonder. I always looked quite a bit younger than her. That was one of my few consolations when it came to her. The other being that I was much smarter and more outgoing. But she had the beauty, and the curves, and the boobs, and the boys. I, on the other hand, was so skinny with very few curves at all, and I always looked many years younger than I was. Which is great now, but when I was young it drove me crazy. But as we aged I felt I began to have the upper hand. People always thought she was my older sister, and I definitely cherished that fact. But now....Do I still look younger?

So I carefully picked out what makeup to wear and applied it meticulously. If someone was to see the way I was acting they would have thought I was going on a first date with a gorgeous man. But alas no, I just wanted to feel good about how I looked when she walked through the door.

Isn't that just so silly? I'm 50. She's 48. Why in the world would I still feel that way? Normally I don't. Normally I'm just fine with who I am. And I'm even fine with who she is, so long as she lives a thousand miles away. But in walks the person who I grew up with and was my sibling rival, and I'm reduced to feeling a hint (ok, maybe a bit more than a hint) of that childish resentment all over again.

When she arrived, we hugged and chatted and even had our picture taken together. I sure don't remember the last time that happened. I think the last picture of us together was when we were small children before we knew what sibling rivalry was. Anyway, the first funny thing that happened was that in the picture, even though I still do look a bit younger than her, we looked more alike than we ever have. We have different fathers, and I always thought we looked nothing like each other, but now we actually really looked like sisters.

After all the pleasantries and after everyone else arrived, we all sat down and chatted away. At one point my sister said, "I was always jealous of you." What? She said "Everyone always liked you better. You were so outgoing and smart. Whenever I brought a friend home they liked you better." What? Was she serious? I told her that not everyone always liked me better. That she always got all the boys. She even got my boys. My best friend, a guy who I grew up with, and always had a terrible crush on, slept with her. My husband dated her before he dated me. All of them liked her better. We both laughed. How silly we sounded. Like two children. Like two sisters. But I had no idea that she felt that way. And I'm not sure that she knew how I felt. Actually neither of us really feels that way now, and it was good to clear the air and hear what the other went through all those years ago.

As the day progressed we chatted more about the important things in life like shopping, shoes, clothes, makeup, hair, food, coffee, etc. And I found out that we not only looked more alike than ever, but we are a lot alike. Funny! I had always thought we were polar opposites. But no, not really, we have many of the same likes and dislikes.We both are overly concerned about how we look. Our mother calls us vain. Speaking of our mother, she drives both of us equally crazy for the same reasons. We're both coffee addicts. She loves to shop as much as I do. And we're both having similar issues with menopause.

So basically all of our lives there was this other person fairly close in age, with similar likes and dislikes and we both had no idea. We were too stuck, in our own worlds, in our own narrow mindedness, to see that right in front of our faces was the person who could have been our best friend. Instead, we chose to be enemies. It was really rough in our home when we were growing up. I know that we both couldn't wait to turn eighteen and get out of there. It sure would have been nice to have had an ally. That might have made things more bearable. It definitely might have helped us both not to make such bad choices at a young age if we had a sister who could come along side and see what we were doing was wrong. But that was the past. And we both had been equally being stubborn, silly and stupid.

Now that I have matured some, I am more capable of seeing other's points of view. Age has taught me compassion and forgiveness. And now when I think of some of the things my sister said, I feel bad that she felt that way. I feel bad for what she went through, sorry that I added to her troubles instead of being there for her. And I no longer see my enemy. I see my sister, my friend for life.

Unfortunately, those few hours was the only time we were going to be spending together on this trip because she was only in town for the weekend. I'm not really sure when she'll be back, but I do hope it won't be another eight years. I miss her already. Next time I won't worry about how I look in comparison to her. The old hurts, the old resentments are gone. Next time we can just cut straight to the important (fun) things.

How silly, and really pretty sad, that it took me 48 years to figure this out.

Written by Newme (LP)
October 18, 2009

Ode to 50

noreply@blogger.com (Newme) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 07:56:00 +0000

This is sort of a poem that I wrote about a month before I turned 50. It summarizes, but doesn't completely encompass, how I feel about turning 50. Which I did, a couple of weeks ago.

Ode to 50

I don't care what the calendar says. I don't care what my birth certificate says. I don't care what my mother says

I AM NOT 50!!!!!

My face doesn't look 50......................40-maybe
So what if I have a few wrinkles, I have plenty of creams.
So what if my skin isn't all peaches and cream any more. Thats what foundation and blush are for.
And maybe I have some grays but only my hairdresser knows for sure.

My body doesn't look 50.....................35-maybe
So what if I don't weigh 100 lbs any more. Who wants to be that skinny anyway
So what if I have to wear a bra under everything. Only my hubby sees what's under my clothes.
And I absolutely refuse to dress like I'm 50! If I have it my way I will die in my jeans!

My body doesn't feel 50......................30-maybe
So what if I have to work out to keep it that way. Exercise is good for everyone.
So what if I take more supplements than I used to. Those are good for you too.
And maybe I am feeling a bit warmer now and then. But once I get through it, there will be no more periods.

I don't feel 50.....................................25-maybe
So what if I don't remember a few minor details. They just must not have been important.
So what if I tell you something more than once. This way you won't forget.
And there's just too much information in my brain already to hold it all. So something's gotta give.

I don't make love like I'm 50................20-maybe
So what if I can't go for 4 hour marathons any more. Quality is better than quantity anyway.
So what if I'm sometimes slightly sore all over the next day. It was worth it.
And besides it's so much better once you know what you like, have fun and just enjoy it without inhibitions.

And in the place of all that youth, I have some wisdom, knowledge, insight and discernment.
I make less mistakes. I make better choices. And if you listen I give pretty good advice.
I know what the most important things are....God and family and good friends.
I've had half a lifetime of experiences and I hope I have half a lifetime more to go.

They say "You're as old as you feel"
They say that 50 is the new 30.
I can live with that.
But......Never say die.....or 50.

So that's my story and I'm stickin with it.