On the Ides of March I turned 55. If I had bothered keeping with my old superannuation scheme, I could retire now. But of course I didn't. I don't even think I could get a 'Seniors Card' because I'm employed. Thank God, I say. What would I do all day as a 'Retired Senior' - wear disgusting beige clothes & travel all over the place on free public transport?
Anyway, it's only now after 26 years (on & off) that I'm starting to get the hang of teaching. Why would I want to give it up now?
But I'm certainly interested in The Ageing Process & v. glad that others are too. There's all sorts of blogs & articles & books written by disgruntled Baby Boomers outraged by the plain fact that they are beginning to look a real lot like their Mothers in Middle Age. I know when I was in my twenties I had this totally insane idea that I was going to age like in a Hollywood movie - you know, stay exactly the same shape, but have really flattering grey hair & a few tiny lines around the eyes. In my dreams!
One thing I don't have & you may not believe me is I DON'T HAVE ANY GREY HAIRS! My hair stayed really blond until my forties & then it went a kind of sad, dark blond. Now I just spray the top of it with 'Sunnin'. I'm sure it's my Scandinavian roots, which I may or may not have, but will never know, because I'm adopted.
The two pictures above are of me & my best friend Margaret. The one on the left was taken in 1982 & the other one was taken last weekend at my birthday dinner. I don't think we look too bad now, but I can't stop looking at pictures of Young Me. Why didn't I realise that I was THAT good, I keep asking myself. Why did I trudge around back then feeling like a sack of potatoes & falling for idiots?
I'm going to drag out all the really fabulous photos of Young Me & narcissistically post them here & once & for all prove to myself that I REALLY DID look like Marianne Faithfull!
p.s. Go read the wonderful blog, The Thoughtful Dresser, by writer, Linda Grant. She makes me feel better every day!
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